KARACHI – Khayaban-e-Bukhari assault case in Karachi’s Defence area is all over social media as CCTV footage and a video of the injured woman triggered outrage while police sources and area residents alleged that the woman accused of assaulting a brother and sister has links to a senior police officer.
August 21 incident reportedly took place inside an apartment building in Khayaban-e-Bukhari, where Maryam Ali Raza allegedly attacked residents with a dumbbell amid heated argument. CCTV footage shows woman allegedly repeatedly hitting a female resident, while police personnel can also be seen at the scene.
The case sparked controversy because an FIR was subsequently registered against the alleged victims, Ahsan, Noor-ul-Ain and their mother, on Maryam Ali Raza’s complaint. Questions are now being raised over how the case unfolded and whether the alleged victims were themselves subjected to violence before being booked in a theft case.
ARY News reported that Maryam, the woman accused of assaulting the residents, is a relative of SSP Fida Hussain Janwari. Residents have also made a series of allegations against Maryam, claiming that she has used her influence within the apartment building and that the vehicle allegedly being used by her is a government vehicle.
Residents further alleged that Maryam runs the building’s union and prevented other residents from using the elevator. They also claimed that several security guards had previously been beaten by police and subsequently lost their jobs allegedly following disputes involving her.
A video of Noor-ul-Ain, who allegedly suffered injuries during the confrontation, has added another dimension to the controversy. In the clip, Noor-ul-Ain appears frightened and injured and shows blood around her nose and mouth. She also alleges that her hair was pulled and that she suffered an injury to her eye.
Despite 9 days having passed since this incident, police have yet to publicly provide a detailed position explaining the sequence of events.
Victims Booked after Assault
People of port city are asking why an FIR was registered against Ahsan, Noor-ul-Ain and their mother after the alleged assault. FIR was registered on Maryam Ali Raza’s complaint, while a theft case was also registered against the brother and sister.
The circumstances surrounding the registration of the cases, including who called the police after the confrontation, remain unclear.
The controversy deepened after another video surfaced showing police allegedly dragging young man Ali Ahsan away from the scene. A police vehicle can also be seen in the footage.
The presence of police personnel during the confrontation, followed by the registration of a case against the residents who allegedly suffered the assault, has prompted questions about the handling of the incident and elite influence.
DIG South Asad Raza has said that the matter will be investigated on merit and that all aspects of the incident will be examined.
