LAHORE- A middle-aged woman named Andleep Khan was called to the police station and allegedly harassed by police for keeping a pet dog in her home in Lahore.
It all started in November when Andleep Khan, owner of a labrador, was summoned by Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Ashfaq from Chungi Amar Sadhu police station. According to Ms Khan, the ASI asked her condescending questions including why she has come to the station alone? Where are other family members? Upon explaining that she was a single mother and had no one else to accompany her, the ASI pointed out her dog.
“The ASI told me that they had received a complaint about her pet dog, that it barks at night thus creating a nuisance for the neighbours”, shared Andleep with Daily Pakistan and continued that the policemen inquired if she had taken permission or possessed a license from the government to keep the dog?
Dismayed by the response, Andleep then approached the SHO of Cantt police station but instead of listening to her plea, she was told to let go of her dog. According to Andleep, she was told by the SHO, “I am going to listen to the human complainants and not a dog.”
Andleep, who is a pet lover argued that the complainant family was influential and had money in pocket to bribe their way, so no one questions their wrongdoings.
According to residents of the area, the complainant family is involved in suspicious activities, however, no one dares to say anything to them.
“For us, the family [complainant] is the problem, not the dog”, they shared while throwing weight behind Andleep.
Despite the fact that the pet-owner furnished all the documents, the police have refused to hear anything and have asserted Andleep to remove the dog without any legal authorization.
The torment for Andleep doesn’t end here as according to her, the influential family, who had lodged the complaint, keeps threatening Andleep to remove the dog or they would frame her in a case of drug possession.
Riled by the apathy, Ms Khan forwarded an application to IG Punjab and Director General Anti-Narcotics Force to seek legal action against Mr and Mrs Akram (the complainants). She is yet to hear anything from them on the matter.
It bears mentioning that according to the wildlife act of 1974, you only need to get a license for Grey Hound and Gun breed of dogs but the police officers pressurized Andleep to dump her pet, in flagrant contradiction with civil rights.
Disclosing her story, Andleep concluded that she was the sole breadwinner of her family and had to take care of her mentally challenged father and brother and it sems that amidst all family woes, now she has to fight a battle with her influential neighbours and the police.
“My crime is only that she owns a pet dog who barks sometimes at strangers,” concluded the mother of two.
