Journalist beaten by cops tells his story

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 30 July 2012

Frontier Post journalist Anwer Abbas has shared a first-hand account of an incident at Daman-i-Koh in Islamabad where he says police assaulted him for drinking Pepsi during Ramadan. He says officers threatened to register an FIR under the Ramadan Ordinance and later beat him at a police post.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: Frontier Post journalist Anwer Abbas, beaten by police for drinking Pepsi during fasting hours last week, has sent in a first-hand account to JournalismPakistan.com of what happened that day at the Daman-i-Koh picnic spot on the Margalla Hills.

“Last Friday after covering the Senate session, my friend Malik Saeed Awan from INP and I decided to have something to drink because of the blazing weather. Since I was not fasting and my home and office were several kilometers away, we decided to go to Daman-i-Koh to have some soft drinks. “Once there we chose a secluded corner well away from all the people.

There were about 7 to 10 visitors in the park at that time including some dating couples. “Just as we were having our drinks, a policeman named Shahzad arrived and told us we were committing a sin, this being the fasting month. He snatched the glass from my hand, smelt it and then rudely tossed it away. “I told him I was not fasting and was having my drink in an isolated corner.

He asked for my national ID card which I handed over. He told me he was going to register a FIR under Ramadan Ordinance against me. “He then asked us to accompany him to the police post adjacent to the park and we did. On the way there the cop started using abusive language.” "At the police post there were already two officers present, one of whom was Abid Shah.

They all started threatening us, posing as if they were drunk. “Abid told us ‘you have never dealt with police, now we will let you know what police is.’ Just then Shahzad stood up, abused me and pushed me hard. I slapped his face in anger and thus started the fight. “Abid started beating me with his belt while Shahzad and I exchanged punches.

My friend attempted to restore peace but was hit as well. “The cops said they would make sure we do not come out of prison in less than 12 months.” “We were then taken to the police station with Shahzad threatening me all the way. The cops there were polite and asked me what action I wanted taken against their errant colleagues.

“I could barely open my left eye following the beating I got and my back was red with marks of belt used by Abid….yet I decided to spare them.”

KEY POINTS:

• Anwer Abbas says a policeman confronted him at Daman-i-Koh for drinking during fasting hours.
• He alleges police threatened to file an FIR under the Ramadan Ordinance and used abusive language.
• Abbas says a fight broke out at the police post and he was beaten with a belt and punched.
• He claims he suffered injuries including swelling around his left eye and marks on his back.
• He says police at the station later asked what action he wanted, but he chose to spare the officers.