PTI fines MPA Imran Shah for slapping citizen

KARACHI: A disciplinary committee formed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fined Sindh Assembly MPA Dr. Imran Shah and warned him for thrashing a citizen on a busy road in Karachi.

PTI leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi on Saturday said there was a no tolerance policy for violence in the party. He said that Imran Shah has been fined Rs0.5 million which will be donated to Edhi Homes and Orphanages Centre, and will also free of cost treatment to twenty orthopedic patients recommended by the Edhi Trust at his own clinic.

The disciplinary committee also admonished Imran Shah saying that he will be expelled from the party in case of any further incidents or complaints. “Imran can be dismissed from the party if we receive further complaints against him,” he said.

Naqvi said the inquiry was conducted by a three-member committee led by Mrs Rana Zaki Shamsi and includes Parvez Ghaffar and Mehmood Moulvi. He said that Imran Shah admitted his fault before the party and had shown remorse. The disciplinary committee took the decision after taking into account all facts and evidences, he added.

The disciplinary committee has also issued a statement over the incident. “In light of the statement and video produced before the Disciplinary Committee, the Committee finds Dr. Imran’s behaviour unacceptable to the Party and to the society,” read the statement.

“No individual has the right to take law in their hands and there is an added responsibility over the people in power to especially make sure that the law is at all times enforced and never abused,” it further said.

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The party had earlier suspended party membership of Dr Imran Shah for one month over the incident which occurred on August 14. Imran Shah was elected from PS-129 in North Nazimabad.

A video circulating on social media showed Imran Shah repeatedly slap a citizen in the middle of the road near Karachi Stadium drawing strong condemnation.

The MPA was filmed slapping the man, identified as Dawood Chauhan, multiple times during a street altercation with his security guards around.

Shortly after the incident, the MPA has apologised for his actions claiming that the man was misbehaving with another person on the street and he demanded an explanation.

Imran Shah addressed the situation and said that the video was misleading and does not show the truth. He said the car driver repeatedly struck the rear of another vehicle when he stopped him to demand an answer.

He further said the car driver refused to apologise and instead misbehaved with him leading him to react over the situation. He was eventually to issue an unconditional apology.

Several party leaders included Firdous Shamim Naqvi had visited Chauhan’s residence to settle the issue amicably and it was decided that a case would not be filed against him.