KARACHI: The son of the Karachi mayor and over half a dozen men, including his security guards, were booked for beating up a boy in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) on New Year’s Eve when he questioned their act of allegedly firing into the air, officials said on Friday.

An official of the Darakshan police station said that Taimur Wasim and around eight to 10 others, including his guards, were booked for beating up the 19-year-old student, Hasnain Haider, on the night of Dec 31.

The police registered the FIR (2/2020) under Sections 337-H (hurt by rash or negligent act), 506 (criminal intimidation), 427 (mischief), 337-A (shajjah) and 34 (common intention) of Pakistan Penal Code.

Complainant alleges suspects fired into the air before chasing and hitting him

According to contents of the FIR reviewed by Dawn on Friday, the complainant said he was a resident of Clifton who along with his friend was waiting for other friends at a petrol pump in Phase-VIII of DHA when two Vigo vehicles arrived there at around 10pm on Dec 31. Around eight to 10 persons including security guards were travelling in the vehicles. They allegedly resorted to firing into the air, the complainant said, adding that when he inquired about the gunfire and abusive language, they again resorted to firing.

He said that he and his friends left the place in their car but were intercepted by the two Vigo vehicles near Hamza mosque. After stopping their car, the guards who disembarked from their vehicles along with Taimur Wasim told the complainant that he was the son of Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar. The complainant said he was beaten up by the guards and Taimur who allegedly used a pistol to hit him. The guards also smashed the windowpanes of the car. They attempted to force him to sit in their vehicle but on the resistance of his friends, the suspects hurled threats and abuse at them before rushing away.

While relatives and friends of the complainant on Friday staged a protest demonstration outside Karachi Press Club demanding arrest of the suspects, the official of Darakhshan police station admitted that no one had been arrested in the case so far.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2020