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Chitral: BISP Assistant Director arrested for ‘assaulting journalist, breaking his camera’
PT Report
Chitral, December 4: Chitral police arrested Didar Ahmad Parvez Assistant Director of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) who had damaged camera of a journalist during coverage of BISP activities and had threatened him with murder. The arrest was made after the intervention of the province’s IGP.
According to details, President of Chitral Union of Professional Journalists Gul Hamaad Farooqi received complaints from some poor people that they have been visiting BISP office but are being treated very badly by the officials. They also said that they have submitted applications for renewal of lost cards and re-activating blocked ones, but Didar Ahmad Parvez torturing them mentally by giving them a period of 1 week and after that of other week..
The journalist visited BISP office for taking version of both parties, complainants and AD Didar Ahmad. When he reached BISP office to record statement of card holders affected Didar Ahmad came with a very rude behavior and stopped him from his journalistic duty. Not only did he broken his video camera, but also allegedly threatened him of killing and ordered his staff to kick him out from office. Luckily camera was on and all these battle and his beating were recorded.The Journalist approached the Chitral police station, showing them videos of the incidence and submitted written application for lodging FIR against Didar Ahmad Parvez. But the local SHO Iqbal Karim having close links with Didar Ahmad used delay tactics and became a party with the other group to delay the case so as to support Didar Ahmad. Chitral police lodged FIR against Didar Ahmad under section 506 only .
Later on it was revealed that the police had lodged FIR against Mr Farooqi on the pressure of Didar Ahmad Parvez under section 506/509/186/189 PPC despite of the fact that the journalist had been harmed.
The issue was raised through different print and electronic media as well as the journalist also recorded his complaint at IGP complaint cell, Peshawar.
President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Afzal Butt, Karachi Union of Journalists MR. G.M. Jamali, President Checha Watni Press Club and journalist throughout the country condemned this inhuman behavior of AD Didar Ahmad of BISP as well as partial role of Chitral police based on favoritism. On the direction of high ups of IGP complaint cell police added section 500/504/427 PPC of using abuse words to journalist and damaging his camera.
An emergency meeting of Chitral Union of Professional Journalists was also called here under the chair of Kamal Abdul Jameel general secretary of CUPJ. It was decided in the meeting to meet District Police Officer Ghulam Hussain to bring the grievances in his notice and it was also decided that if the DPO did not act, then the journalists will go on strike in front of the police office. Mr. G.M Jamali also demanded from Prime Minister of Pakistan to suspend AD Didar Ahmad Parvez of BISP and to terminate his services.
After proper negotiation with DPO he assured of full justice and ordered for conducting inquiry through investigation team who will submit their report within 4 days.
CUPJ informed DPO that 3 more sections have been added in first information report against Didar Ahmad as he was on Bail Before Arrest under section 506. But police took no action against him in fresh FIR. The DPO has assured taking legal action in this regard.
Later on Chitral police arrested Didar Ahmad Parvez son of Abdul Khaliq of Kosht on direction of DPO and booked him on charges of misbehaving with journalist, damaging/breaking his camera and threatening to kill him. CUPJ hailed provincial government of KPK Inspector General Police complaint cell for taking quick action on receiving any complaint against police officials.
