Three sons of Malik Bashir, notorious for human trafficking and issuing fake visas, and his eight security guards subjected three journalists to torture and shot at them in the Civil Lines police precincts on Wednesday evening. Two police officials including a constable of the Mujahid Squad held the attackers flee the crime scene near Bank Al-Habib Limited building on Davis Road, said sources. However, on protest by the journalists, around 10 people including Malik Bashir and his sons were arrested and shifted to Civil Lines Police Station. No case was registered until the filing of this report. The two victim journalists were identified as Mian Daud, a reporter of Pakistan Observer, Asif Butt, a reporter of daily Al-Sharq, and Hafiz Tariq, an employee of the Lahore Press Club. The injured were shifted to hospital for medico-legal examination and treatment.
Daud told Pakistan Today that he and Butt were heading to the Lahore Press Club from Mughalpura at around 6:45 pm on a motorcycle when a Suzuki Swift car (LEA-9008), being driven by a drunk man, hit their bike from behind near Dharampura Underpass on the Canal. The car driver and four other men in car, instead of seeking an apology, started using abusive language and hurling life threats, said Daud. In the meantime, the car driver parked the car outside Bank Al-Habib on Davis Road and started thrashing the journalists with the gun butts. As a result, the victims received multiple injuries on their ribs and faces.
Meanwhile, six accomplices of the car passengers also reached the scene with sophisticated weapons and started firing, however, the journalists escaped the firing unscathed. The men also snatched Rs 22,000 and cell phones from Daud and Butt. Hafiz Tariq reached the crime scene after a call from the journalists but also fell victim. A car (LZK-8989) owned by an official of Bank Al-Habib was also damaged.
The police, on routine patrolling, reached the scene and retaliated to the firing. Two cops including an official of the Mujahid Squad allowed the accused to go to their houses, which agitated the journalists, said sources. A large number of journalists including the representatives of the Lahore Press Club reached the scene and informed the police high-ups about the situation. The police were initially reluctant to take action but later they made the arrests. The arrested men included Tariq Mumtaz, Amir, Arif, Shakeel, Zaheeruddin and Suhaib.
