Pak constable slaps woman reporter, inquiry ordered as video goes viral

Karachi, October 21

A woman TV reporter was slapped by a constable here in a government office, an act caught on the security camera that went viral on social media, forcing authorities in Pakistan to order a probe.

Interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan ordered the inquiry after a female anchor for a local television channel was slapped by a Frontier Corps constable at the office of the National Authority for Database Registration (NADRA), officials said.

“Minister Khan has been informed about the incident and he has ordered an inquiry. A complete footage of the incident has been dispatched to him,” officials were quoted as saying in the local media.

The constable was also seen resorting to aerial firing to scare away the people who were present in the NADRA office at that time.

The video, which went viral on the social media, has divided the nation with many speaking out against the brutality of the security guard but also questioning the aggressive behaviour of the reporter as well.

"Her behaviour was also not proper and she should not have provoked the guard," Fazil Jamali, the president of the Karachi Press Club, said.

Youtube Video courtesy: ShareToFriends 

The video shows the reporter and her cameraman trying to enter the NADRA office in Liaquatabad when she shouts loudly on camera that the guards were misbehaving with the people and also with her cameraman.

The video shows her confronting the guard constantly and warning him to stay away from the cameraman.

"Don't you have a mother or sisters? Don't you have shame treating people like this,” the reporter asks the constable as she is seen tugging at his badge before he turns around and slaps her and shots are fired.

The reporter, who works for the Karachi based K-21 channel, said she had gone to the NADRA office after getting complaints about the public facing hardships.

The guard has now disappeared but a FIR has been filed against him on the complaint of the reporter.

However, the police have also filed a counter FIR against the reporter on the complaint of the NADRA office head which charges her with obstructing official duty and tearing the uniform of the guard. — PTI