F.P. Report
KARACHI : Sindh Inspector General of Police Raffat Raja on Tuesday took notice of cricketer Sohaib Maqsood’s social media post accusing Sindh police personnel of allegedly demanding a bribe from him to permit his vehicle to travel on a highway near Sakrand.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) late on Monday night, Maqsood said that while travelling from Karachi to Multan by road, he was stopped by the police who demanded money.
However, in his post, the cricketer did not specify the exact location. Later, while speaking to Geo News, he clarified that the incident took place on an isolated road near Sakrand.
“We informed them that we are international cricketers heading to Multan after our match in Karachi, yet they took Rs8,000 from us before allowing us to proceed,” he claimed in the post.
Furthermore, Maqsood stated that the police also threatened to take them to the police station. He remarked, “We are fortunate to live in Punjab and not in Sindh.”
In a subsequent post, Maqsood mentioned being halted again at some distance even after allegedly paying the earlier amount when he was initially stopped by the police. He asserted: “Corruption is rampant in Sindh police.”
Reacting to the allegations, the Sindh police chief took notice of the matter and directed his department to probe the incident.
In a statement to Dawn.com, the Sindh police spokesperson quoted the IG as directing Shaheed Benazirabad Police to hold an immediate inquiry into the matter.
“Strict action must be taken against personnel involved in the incident,” the IG said.
The ordeal
Narrating the incident speaking to Geo News, Maqsood explained that after his team’s last match in the National T20 Cup in Karachi on Monday, where they did not qualify for the next round, he left Karachi with Aamir Yamin.
“I was travelling in a vehicle, and Yamin was with me at around midnight. We passed the toll plaza in Sindh, and after two kilometres, a pair of policemen at a lonely spot near Sakrand stopped us, asking for vehicle documents.”
The cricketer recounted that the officers then inquired about his use of high beam lights, warning a potential fine of Rs100,000. “I informed him that checking papers was not within their jurisdiction, and if traffic police were to stop us, they would typically impose a fine of up to Rs2,500.”
“He then threatened to take us to the police station, as we were travelling for the first time in Sindh, and after negotiation, we gave him Rs8,000,” Maqsood added. “This incident frightened us since it was nighttime and an isolated place.”
He then said his vehicle was stopped by police again after 30-40km, but they did not comply. “Instead, we stopped at a hotel in Sukkur, where we stayed overnight.”
He mentioned that the police had intercepted him approximately 68km before Moro, where the incident unfolded. “The police were rude, and when I requested to speak to one of their officers, their behaviour worsened.”
He stated that the intention behind the tweet was to shed light on the challenges the public faced when law enforcement personnel treated even known individuals badly.
courtesy : dawn news
