District Police Officer (DPO) Usman Tipu has suspended nine policemen at Harappa Police Station after they organised a farewell for their Station House Officer (SHO) Majid Ashfaq who had himself been suspended over alleged misconduct during the investigation of a sexual assault case.
According to the suspension order, the officials were proceeded against for “inefficiency, undisciplined act and unbecoming of a member of a disciplined force”.
Ashfaq was suspended on Aug 27 following allegations that he had accepted a bribe, mishandled an investigation and misused his authority in a case.
The following day, several colleagues held a farewell reception for him at the police station and showered him with rose petals.
A video of the gathering subsequently circulated on social media, after which the DPO ordered action against the participating officials.
The suspended personnel include Sub Inspector Imran; Assistant Sub Inspectors Khalid Naeem, Gulzar Ahmed and Nadeem Iqbal; head constables Naeem Khan and Nisar Ahmed; and constables Mudasir Liaqat, Mubashir Pervaiz and Muhammad Akhter.
According to reports, the only female constable at the station was not suspended because she did not take part in the farewell.
“Police are a disciplined and self-accountable force. No one will be allowed to glorify unprofessional attitude or defiance of a superior’s orders through such bizarre actions,” Tipu said.
The underlying case involves a woman from Harappa who allegedly faced blackmail and extortion by a former male friend.
According to the reported case history, the man had previously lured her while she was living in Lahore to prepare for a competitive examination, using promises of marriage before allegedly obtaining explicit videos and blackmailing her.
After returning to Harappa, the woman married in Chak 56/GD Modain. The suspect allegedly continued demanding money and valuables, receiving Rs1.5 million in gold ornaments, Rs40,000 in cash and daily expenses for his car.
On Aug 19, he allegedly attempted to sexually assault her near Sahiwal Bypass, but her husband intervened and detained him. Harappa police registered a rape case against him on Aug 21.
During the investigation, the woman’s family accused Ashfaq of accepting a bribe to favour the suspect.
A subsequent reinvestigation reportedly found irregularities and misuse of authority, while the suspect allegedly admitted paying a substantial amount to the SHO.
The findings led to Ashfaq’s suspension and a departmental inquiry.
