All officers should take up this case with the Air Force Chief, for follow up action

I am a retired Air Vice Marshal and served the Pakistan Air Force for more than 35 years. I now live with my family in Karachi.

Recently, I was proceeding with my son to visit my friend’s house in DHA when I saw a big Land Rover/Land Ranger-type vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. It occupied the central portion of the narrow road and it seemed it would ram my car.

I swerved to the left to avoid being hit. As we passed I told the driver of the vehicle to be careful rather than hitting another car.

The driver took offence at my words and stopped and then began to reverse his vehicle. I too stopped my car. An argument took place where the young man, no more than 18 years old, driving the car, extremely agitated, said that he was running out of patience with me.

He came out of his car along with his two guards with Kalashnikov rifles and another older person. They started threatening me and my son.

In fact one of the guards became violent and hit me with the butt of his rifle and started to cock his gun as if he would shoot. More arguments took place. Then both my son and me were attacked.

As if this manhandling was not enough, a police escort vehicle with 6-8 police personnel both in uniform and plain clothes arrived and without ascertaining the facts attacked the two of us.

Passersby intervened and stopped the situation from getting worse.

The boy driving the car also realised that the matter had taken an ugly turn and asked his men to get into their cars. They immediately sped away.

My clothes were completely torn and we both received various injuries. The car was either black or dark gray in colour. Its number plate was that of Abu Dhabi. It also had an MNA plate on it.

I asked the boy to tell me his father’s name to which he arrogantly replied, ‘Go and find it yourself.’

After regaining my balance we proceeded to the Darakshan Police Station and reported the matter.

Whatever happened is sad but I have the following questions to ask of my countrymen.

1. How can there be an Abu Dhabi-registered car running around in Karachi with an MNA plate stuck behind the huge vehicle?
2. Is the boy allowed to drive this vehicle?
3. Is the boy entitled to the privileges of an MNA?
4. How did the police escort (typical Hilux escort vehicle) reach the place?
5. Are the police allowed to escort the young boy?
6. Why should they join in the altercation?
7. When will these rulers learn to curb their arrogance and haughtiness and understand that they have been elected to serve the people rather than harass and beat them up?

It is with great sorrow and pain that I write about the incident. If a senior person like me does not have any safety and is insulted, beaten and physically assaulted by the state police and private guards, what can we expect for the rest of my countrymen?

SYED ATAUR RAHMAN
Air Vice Marshal (retd)
Karachi

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/letters-to-the-editor/assault-on-road-retired-avms-version-960