–CM takes notice of alleged harassment, seeks report from Punjab IG
–Police say seven accused arrested, raids being carried out to detain more suspects
MURREE: In yet another incident of harassment, a tourist couple has reportedly been subjected to violence by hotel agents in the hill station.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident emerged when some hotel agents catcalled at a woman tourist near the General Post Office (GPO) Chowk while she was taking a walk on Murree’s Mall Road around 6 pm with her husband.
Things went worse when the husband requested the agents to refrain from the inappropriate behaviour, against which the harassers started using force.
WATCH VIDEO:
#BoycottMurree voilance in Murree pic.twitter.com/saH5MCv9A7
— Tariq Mahmood Malik (@TM_Journalist) December 16, 2018
“Even onlookers and the traffic police officers present at the scene, instead of diffusing the situation, played complicit in the brawl and the in-charge at the market’s local check-post refused to take any action upon the family’s complaint citing jurisdiction,” an eyewitness claimed in a video that broke the internet on Sunday.
With the video clips of the incident as well as the witnesses’ account going viral over the web, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took notice of the alleged harassment.
He also directed Punjab inspector-general (IG) to submit a report in this regard and said that justice would be provided to the affected family at all costs.
Buzdar’s chief spokesperson Dr Shahbaz Gill tweeted the copy of FIR [first information report].
FIR registered on Murree incident @siasatpk pic.twitter.com/z0nXca16PN
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@ShabazGil) December 16, 2018
Meanwhile, the in-charge, as well as other officers present at the scene, were suspended by the Rawalpindi city police officer (CPO) and seven people suspected of harassing the tourist couple were arrested.
Police said that raids are being carried out to nab more suspects, all of whom had been identified.
Murree assistant commissioner said that a set of rules had been introduced to ensure the protection of tourists in the city and no hotel agent would be allowed to pressure tourists to book their hotels.