Two arrested for torture of young man in DHA

Police have arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the abduction and brutal torture of a young man, Ali Jafri, in Defence Phase VIII and registered a case under sections pertaining to kidnapping, torture and criminal intimidation.

According to the victim, he had gone to Bukhari Commercial in Defence Phase VI with friends for a meal after being invited by Ali Faisal for gaming. As he came out after dinner, one of the suspects allegedly hit him on the head with a baseball bat rendering him unconscious.

Jafri said the suspects then allegedly put him in a car and took him to Defence Phase VIII where he was subjected to severe torture. He said he had no dispute with anyone and could not understand why he was targeted. He said that he never imagined that someone would beat him like this. He said he was traumatised after the incident and added that his wallet account was also allegedly used.

He alleged that the suspects showed him photographs of his family and threatened to harm his relatives if he disclosed the incident to anyone. Jafri said his father was a heart patient and that he and his family were being pressured to reach a settlement after the torture video went viral. A citizen accompanying Jafri said further allegations of torture, beyond what was visible in the viral video, would also be incorporated into the case. He claimed the victim’s family was under severe pressure to compromise.

Police said that they had arrested Ibrahim , the prime suspect in the assault, and another suspect, Waqar, had also been taken into custody in connection with the incident. Further investigations are under way.

A judicial magistrate on Saturday remanded the two suspects arrested in connection with the assault on the young man in DHA in police custody for three days.

The investigation officer produced Ibrahim and Waqar before the judicial magistrate (South) and sought their physical remand for interrogation.

The defence counsel claimed that the alleged victim was pressurised to lodge the FIR, adding that the video of the alleged assault was AI generated.

The complainant’s lawyer requested that the video be sent for a forensic analysis.

After hearing both sides, the magistrate handed over the suspects to the police on physical remand for three days.