In Karachi, authorities announced on Saturday the arrest of two individuals suspected of assaulting a young man in DHA Phase 8. The South Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Syed Asad Raza, confirmed to Dawn that the apprehended suspects are identified as Ibrahim Fahad and Waqar.
According to DIG Raza, a third suspect named Ibrahim Malik has fled to Lahore, while another, Irtiza, remains at large. The incident reportedly originated from a conflict related to a girl, prompting the police’s intervention.
Details of the Incident
An official First Information Report (FIR), which is accessible via Dawn, was filed at Sahil police station shortly after midnight on Saturday, based on the complaint from Syed Ali Jafri. The reported assault took place on the night of August 29.
The FIR references several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including section 34, which deals with acts performed by multiple individuals, section 337-A(i) concerning punishment for bodily harm, as well as sections 365 and 506-B, which involve kidnapping and criminal intimidation.
Victim’s Account
Jafri spoke to the press, recounting the events leading up to the FIR’s registration. He disclosed that he initially hesitated to report the incident due to threats from the suspects. Despite being scared, he decided to approach the police after the suspects circulated a video of him on social media.
According to Jafri, he and a friend were at an e-gaming venue in Bukhari Commercial when another acquaintance joined them, someone he had never met before. Later, as they exited a nearby cafe, a vehicle stopped in front of them, and a man, an acquaintance of his friend, exited the vehicle and attacked Jafri with a baseball bat, striking him on the neck.
Assault and Threats
Following this, Jafri alleges that he was forcibly taken into the vehicle by the assailant and three unidentified individuals. They transported him to an isolated area at Sahil Avenue in Phase 8, where he was reportedly beaten on his legs with the bat, and his hair was yanked out, leading to severe physical distress.
During the assault, Jafri claims one of the attackers brandished a firearm and recorded the ordeal on video. The assailants also threatened him with harm to his family if he reported the incident, showing him their photographs as intimidation. Upon being released, Jafri was taken back to Bukhari Commercial, where he was allegedly coerced into handing over Rs30,000. By the time he returned home, the suspects had already alerted his family about the events.
In his FIR, Jafri named three individuals as suspects in the case. This incident follows a previous altercation in DHA’s Phase 6, where an inquiry revealed police involvement, raising concerns over law enforcement conduct in the area.
