Hours after Pakistani cricketers Sohaib Maqsood and Aamer Yamin complained about corruption by the Sindh police on social media, four policemen of the Sakrand police station, who were involved in the incident, were arrested for exceeding their authority.
Earlier today, Maqsood and Yamin lashed out at Sindh Police's alleged "corruption" after both of them were stopped by law enforcement officials who asked for bribes from them as they were travelling to Multan. The cricketers were playing for Multan Regions in the National T20 Cup and were allegedly stopped by the police upon returning to their homes from Karachi and asked for money.
According to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Shaheed Benazirabad Parvez Chandio, a case was registered against the officials for taking money from the cricketers.
Meanwhile, the Station House Officer (SHO) and head inspector of Sakrand police station have been suspended after being found guilty of negligence, the Sindh police spokesperson told Geo News.
A statement released by the district police officer (DPO) also read that DIG Shaheed Benazirabad, in an inquiry report, mentioned the bribery of national cricketers took place on the Superhighway between 12am and 1am last night.
"Four policemen of Sakrand police station have been found involved in the incident," the Sindh police spokesperson said.
It added that a formal FIR has been registered against them and legal action has been initiated, while the SHO of Sakrand police station and other officials have been suspended after being found guilty of negligence.
An inquiry report is also being sent to IG Sindh, said the spokesperson.
Chandio said that legal action is being taken against the officials by registering a formal first information report (FIR) against them.
The incident took place at the Kairia stop where two police mobiles were deployed for duty, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Haider Raza said in a separate statement, adding that the photographs of the officers were sent to Maqsood for identification.
The police had earlier said it had started an investigation and would take departmental action against the policemen who stopped the athletes and sought bribes from them.
The police accelerated efforts by involving police, motorway police and excise Police in the probe and deploying them on the National Highway.
The SSP said those involved in the incident will be punished.
Sohaib and Aamer took to their X accounts to call out the Sindh Police’s inappropriate behaviour and corruption, saying that they considered themselves lucky that they didn’t live in Sindh.
“We are so lucky that we live in Punjab not in Sindh first time in my life I am travelling from Karachi to Multan by Road and Sindh police is so corrupt that they stop you after 50 km and ask for money or they threat you to go to the police station for no reason,” Sohaib wrote on X.
“If you give them money then they will stop you again after 50 km and ask for money again corruption at it’s peak in sindh police. We told them that we are international cricketers travelling to multan after our match in Karachi they still took 8000 thousand rupees and then let us go it will,” he continued.
Inspector General (IG) Sindh Riffat Mukhtar on Tuesday took notice of Maqsood and Yamin’s posts on X, formerly Twitter, complaining about Sindh Police’s inappropriate behaviour towards them.
IG Sindh tasked DIG Shaheed Benazirabad to investigate the incident on an urgent basis and urged him to take strict and exemplary action against those involved, confirmed the representative of Sindh Police.
Remember, the National T20 Cup is currently underway at four venues across Karachi with 18 teams vying for the coveted trophy.
The group stage games are currently underway which conclude on November 28. The Super Eight stage will start on December 1.
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