Three policemen suspended for Aurat March mistreatment

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police on Wednesday suspended three policemen who allegedly baton-charged participants of the Aurat March in the federal capital, Aaj News reported.

The Islamabad police said on Twitter that more people responsible for the mistreatment were being identified and action will be taken accordingly.

The development comes hours after Interior Minister Sanaullah took notice of the behaviour meted out to the participants of the Aurat March, and vowed that strict legal action will be taken against those responsible.

In a Twitter post, he said that the Islamabad police chief had been summoned regarding the matter.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman condemned the capital police’s action against citizens participating in the Aurat March.

In a Twitter post, the minister said: “The Islamabad police had no business baton-charging a small peaceful procession,” adding “It is the women holding laathis that need to be pushed back, not progressive women,”

“Sad to see this happening. I will seek an inquiry,” she wrote.

In another tweet, she said there is no excuse for this violence, and that too on International Women’s Day.

“This is not what we fought for and will not tolerate it,” she said. The minister added that the issue was taken up with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

Meanwhile, Islamabad police said Inspector General Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan had taken notice of the incident.

“Islamabad police apologizes for this incident,” the capital police said on its official Twitter handle, adding that the Islamabad IG had asked the DIG Operations to identify the ones responsible and take action against them.