A policeman in the line of fire
A Pakistani protester, center, pushes a burning tire as others run away to avoid tear gas fired by riot police during clashes erupted as protestors tried to approach the US embassy, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, Sept. 21, 2012. — File Photo
ISLAMABAD: By now September 21 has become merely a bad memory for most of us. But the family of an Islamabad policeman is among many who are still living the horrors of the mindless mayhem the day witnessed in the name of showing love for the Prophet of Islam (PBUH).
ASI Sher Mohammad, 43, was hit by a bullet fired by Afghans protesting the nonsensical film ‘Innocence of Islam’ at Tarnol on the day and has been lying paralysed and semiconscious since then in a private hospital.
“His family – two wives and six children – have no means to foot the bill which has climbed to Rs2.8 million by now. They have not even received his latest salary,” constable Shakeel Abbas, taking care of him in the hospital, told Dawn on Wednesday.
Before his elder brother Mohammad Younus had been looking after Sher but he left on Sunday to look after his own family in Lilla, near Jhelum, after Sher was taken out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and fed from the mouth.
Doctors attending Sher said the bullet had shattered his ribs, grazed his spinal cord and punctured his lungs and oesophagus – the pipe that carries food to the stomach. The injuries paralysed him down the waist and the rest of the body is in no better shape as he had banged his head on a stone on falling from the bullet.
The concussion has affected his speech and he frequently relapses into semi or unconsciousness.
Their unanimous opinion was that “full recovery would take years, and we are not even sure about his chances of recovery”.
On Monday, the doctors took the chance of feeding him through the mouth but that worsened the patient’s condition. They suspect the food went down the wrong way and he has developed pneumonia.
A hospital run by the much in news property tycoon Malik Riaz had offered to treat the 55 policemen injured in the attack on Tarnol Police Station by rioting Afghans in the September 21 madness.
However none of them needed expert medical help, except ASI Sher who, unfortunately cannot be moved because of his condition, complicated by his abnormally high blood pressure.
Sher had been firing teargas shells from behind a bus at the rioters when a bullet hit him and he fell down. His comrades had given him up as dead as he fell and lay motionless on the ground.
They carried him inside the police station where, after about 50 minutes, one saw his eyes moving and he was rushed to the nearest hospital where he lies till today.
There the bill is rising, but the police department, which he has served for 25 years, seems to be done with him after doling out Rs200,000 for his treatment.
I wonder and can not imagine that a state servant would be abandoned by the department he was working for,and was seriously injured while performing his duties.Are the officials sleeping or busy in attending the VVIPS?For God’s sake wake up and look after Sher.
I don’t know why policemen in Pakistan endanger their life as they know that the Police department and these merciless governments will never help them as no system of medical treatment or hospitals within the Police department exists, …. I am thankful to Malik Riaz who offered the help,
The bill should be sent to Afghan Government, Pakistani Mullah & Military whose love for Afghans has made Pakistan a mess. Its time we send these Afghans to Afghanistan by force.
Were they all really Afghans? Havent heard it before. Afghans living in pakistan are now mostly scattered and cannot be conceived of acting in an organised violant mob as they are already under pressure. It must have been a mix of all muslim, ethnic background as love of prophet is the concern of all. So, the news is a little misleading.
the first teaching of islam is tazkia-nafs,= self control. control your anger, you will win. no violence please.see how much you lose everyday by violence in the name of islam. please respect islam by self-control, knowledge, morality, no-corruption, charity, feeling for others, help-others,research , morality, good manners, respect for elders and parents, submission to ALLAH. ALL THIS PLUS FIRM FAITH IN ALLAH IS ISLAM.
we need to realise that protesting is everybodys right but violence is not allowed in islam.killing or fire or bullets is no treatment to anything. let us fight back the satan by our good deeds, bowing to allah charity, care, knowledge, scientific research and love for humanity. no violence please.
Thank Zia-ul-Haq for all the extremism we facing these days.
Yesterday there was an article in dawn about a Muslim boy being hit by a stray bullet, presumably fired by Indian security forces. Isn’t it ironical that the similar incidens are portrayed with two different angles, one in India depicting atrocities against Muslims by Indian security forces who are trying to maintain law an order while this one here as the Pakistani security forces suffering from the violent Muslim mob.
how about the other young victims. I saw one TV shot where security forces sharp shooters were aiming at individualsprotesters.
May Allah make it easy for the family in these difficult times and also help ASI Sher recover form his tragic recovery.
The extremist lot has made this country a laughing joke globally and are taring apart this country. May Allah show them the right path also.
Karachi is a safe heaven for criminals and terrorists.Please help!