The Balochistan police has suspended multiple officials following a viral video on social media where they could reportedly be seen expressing sympathy with Afghan refugees facing deportation from Pakistan.
This development was confirmed by Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, who said the officials, including Arbab Dawood Kasi recording the said TikTok video, were suspended. These officials were first suspended and then dismissed, while they will face further action, Bugti confirmed.
In the said video, Kasi could be seen criticising the government for deporting the allegedly illegal Afghan refugees, and requested his fellow security officials not to treat the Afghans inappropriately.
Also Read: IN PICTURES: Belongings in tow, Afghan refugees 'forced' to flee Pakistan
He goes on to say that after the video, even if he was suspended he wouldn’t mind, and move to Afghanistan for work where he would be treated with respect. He also mentioned how the properties of all the Afghans being forced to leave Pakistan had been occupied and their houses razed.
In another video, uploaded to his TikTok account boasting over 50,000 followers apparently following his suspension from duty, Kasi says he was not worried at all as he had sacrificed his duty for the Afghans.
“I’m from the family of Aimal Kansi. I have no tension about losing my job,” he ends the clip with laughter.
@arbabdawoodkasi #viralvideo #foryou #foryou #foryoupage ♬ original sound - ArbabDawoodkasi
Taking notice of the viral video, Balochistan Police Inspector General Abdul Khaliq Sheikh ordered the police personnel to be suspended. He added that they were trying to identify other personnel in the video – clad in Anti-Terrorism Force uniforms -- and that action would be taken against them as well.
The IGP said every police officer in Balochistan should keep patriotism and rule of law above everything else.
Meanwhile, according to a report presented by the Quetta Anti-Terrorism Force Quetta, some of the officers of the unit performing escort duties with former federal minister Ayaz Sadiq, including Dilawar, Kabir Ahmed, Raaz Mohammad and Naveed Ahmed, could be seen in a video going viral on social media.
In the video, the officials could be seen expressing sympathies with the Afghan refugees and using derogatory words for the police department.
According to the report, this behaviour shows gross negligence, irresponsibility, and violation of law on their part, which is against police rules and is intolerable.
Noor Ahmad Lehri, the ATF Quetta Headquarters DSP, was designated as the inquiry officer to conduct a departmental probe and submit a report at the earliest.
Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti also confirmed the incident, when contacted, and said these officials were not Afghans. He added that there will be no compromise on the security and honour of the country even if Pakistanis are involved.
