SHO suspended for brutally torturing hotel owner in Karachi

KARACHI: A police officer has been suspended for brutally torturing a hotel owner in Karachi over alleged violation of Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs), ARY News reported on Monday.

After a report broadcasted by ARY News, the station house officer (SHO) of Saudabad police station was suspended for brutally torturing a hotel owner over an alleged violation of SOPs against COVID-19.

It was learnt that the hotel owner was tortured at the police station for hours after being taken there for not closing the restaurant at the prescribed time.

The hotel owner, Malik Azhar, said in a video message that six to seven persons from different restaurants were taken into custody by police on Sunday late night at around 2:00 am.

Azhar alleged that SHO Zubair beat him using batons and released him the next day at 9:00 pm. He added that all persons were queued and allegedly tortured by the SHO.

The police authorities took notice of the report aired by ARY News and suspended the SHO for carrying out an investigation into the incident.

The incident took place after the Sindh authorities assured the traders not to be mistreated by police and the administration which led the businesspersons to temporarily postponed the protest for extending business hours.