ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police have dismissed three cops for harassing, blackmailing and illegally detaining a married couple who was visiting a picnic spot in Pakistan's federal capital, a police spokesman said on Sunday.
The couple was en route to Shahdara picnic spot this month and were stopped by a police mobile team in the jurisdiction of the Bharakahu police station, which asked for their marriage certificate. The policemen on duty humiliated and harassed the couple and demanded bribe after they failed to furnish the marriage certificate, according to Islamabad police spokesman Jawad Taqi.
Police constables Asfand Ayaz, Nayab and Sami Ullah separated the woman from her husband and sat her in a police vehicle, where one officer harassed her and took her phone number. Later, another constable, Naimatullah Baloch, repeatedly contacted her on her phone and threatened her for refusing his demands. The couple lodged a complaint with Islamabad's deputy inspector-general for operations and an inquiry confirmed the officers' misconduct.
“As soon as the complaint was lodged, the SSP [senior superintendent of police] investigated the matter and after a thorough inquiry, the three officers involved were terminated from their jobs this week,” Taqi told Arab News on Sunday.
To ensure internal accountability, the spokesman shared, the Islamabad police had a dedicated department, called the Internal Accountability Unit, within the office of the Islamabad police chief.
“Additionally, there is a separate IG [Inspector-General] Islamabad helpline 1715, where complaints against the police can be made in case of any misconduct,” he added.
Taqi emphasized the importance of a proper self-accountability mechanism to ensure that “any individuals damaging the institution's reputation or abusing their authority are held accountable through departmental procedures.”
In a separate case last month, Asim Zaidi, in-charge of the Sangjani police station in Islamabad, was arrested over illegal detention of two citizens, Muhammad Saeed and Shahbaz, for 19 days, without any charges, according to the Islamabad police. The illegal detention came to light after families of the detainees approached a local court. A police inquiry revealed that a case filed by Zaidi against the detainees was "delayed and improper."
In Pakistan, police harassment of citizens has been a pressing issue for years, with numerous reports of citizens facing mistreatment, abuse and unlawful detention. According to the National Corruption Perception Survey 2023 conducted by the Transparency International Pakistan (TIP), police were the "most corrupt institution" in the South Asian country.
Islamabad police dismiss three cops for harassment, illegal detention of couple
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Islamabad police dismiss three cops for harassment, illegal detention of couple
- A police team humiliated and harassed the couple as well as demanded bribe from them after they failed to provide a marriage certificate
- Last year, Transparency International Pakistan's National Corruption Perception Survey identified police as the 'most corrupt institution'
Pakistan stock market crosses record 174,000 points during intraday trading
- Pakistan Finance Adviser Khurram Schehzad says stock market’s equity investor base has increased by over 120,000 in last 18 months
- Official says stock market’s record levels reflect growing investor confidence supported by continued macro stability and key reforms
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) crossed a record 174,000 points on Monday, Finance Adviser Khurram Schehzad said, marking a strong start to the business week.
According to the data available on the PSX’s official website, the KSE-100 benchmark reported 174,411.72 points during the intraday trading on Monday morning.
“Another milestone for Pakistan’s equity market,” Schehzad wrote on social media platform X. “The KSE-100 Index has crossed 174,400 points, marking yet another record high.”
Pointing out the stock market’s achievements this year, Schehzad said the PSX has delivered 50 percent plus returns in US dollar terms to investors since January this year, “making it one of the best markets in Asia.”
He noted that investors’ participation in the PSX is rising fast, adding that the equity investor base has increased by over 120,000 to cross the 450,000 figure in the last 18 months, marking a 37 percent increase.
“These record levels reflect growing investor confidence, supported by continued macro stability, key reforms, and improving prospects for more sustainable, higher future growth,” he said.
Pakistan’s stocks have surged in recent years, marking a strong performance this year as Islamabad moves to consolidate its financial recovery after years of economic turbulence, which saw it on the verge of a sovereign default in June 2023.
Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have surged past the $21 billion mark, as per the central bank’s latest data.
In recent years, the South Asian country has also implemented tough structural reforms under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programs, aimed at reducing fiscal deficits and restoring investor confidence.
