Lahore police on Tuesday suspended all staff at Ghaziabad Police Station over administrative lapses and poor supervision following the arrest of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) for the alleged rape of a woman with an intellectual disability at the location.
The victim’s father had registered a first information report (FIR) against the ASI at the Ghaziabad Police Station on Aug. 3 under Sections 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code and 155C (penalty for certain types of misconduct by police officers) of the Police Order, 2002. Subsequently, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Investigation Syed Zeeshan Raza took notice of the incident, and ordered the suspect’s arrest.
According to the FIR, the complainant’s daughter left their house on Sunday around 1 p.m. but failed to return after several hours. Upon inquiry, a passerby informed him that a plainclothes policeman had taken her into custody. He said that when he reached the Ghaziabad Police Station he was informed the girl had already returned home. “We all returned home, where my daughter was crying. I asked her the reason, and she told me that a policeman … had taken her [to the police station] and forcibly raped her,” read the FIR.
In an official statement, Lahore Police said DIG (Operations) Faisal Kamran had taken notice of the incident and ordered the suspension of the entire staff of the police station. It said he had noted that maintaining the overall discipline and environment of the police station was the primary responsibility of every officer, including the SHO.
“Poor oversight or irresponsible behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and there will be no compromise on professional discipline,” it quoted him as saying, adding accountability would be ensured at the “police station level” to establish a public-friendly and responsible police culture.
Reportedly, 78 staff posted at the police station have been suspended, including the SHO, two sub-inspectors, eight ASIs, front desk staff and other officials.