FIR Registered in Chishtian Patwari Assault Case Despite Alleged Political Pressure; DPO Bahawalnagar and RPO Bahawalpur Praised for Upholding Rule of Law

CHISHTIAN: A major development has emerged in the alleged assault case involving Revenue Department Patwari Rana Haseebullah in Chishtian, where Bahawalnagar Police registered an FIR and initiated legal proceedings despite reports of possible political pressure. The move has been widely welcomed by civil society and government employees as a positive example of impartial policing and the rule of law.

According to the FIR lodged at City A-Division Police Station, Chishtian, Patwari Rana Haseebullah received a request from Bilal Mushtaq, a resident of Nishtar Colony, Lahore, regarding a site inspection report for a four-marla inherited property located in Baghdad Colony, Chishtian. The patwari completed his factual report on August 3and submitted it to the relevant authorities. However, the Tehsildar Chishtian raised objections and directed him to conduct another site inspection and submit a revised report.

The complainant alleged that before he could revisit the site, he received phone calls from “Khalid Kahloon” and “Saad Arshad“, who were introduced as the personal assistants of a PML-N’s local Member of the National Assembly and Parliamentary Secretary. According to the FIR, the callers allegedly used abusive language, issued threats, and pressured him to prepare a report according to their wishes rather than in accordance with legal procedures.

The FIR further states that while the patwari was waiting to brief the Assistant Commissioner Chishtian about the matter, an individual identified as “Somi Chishti”, accompanied by six armed associates, allegedly stormed the government patwar office and brutally assaulted him with sticks and clubs, leaving him seriously injured.

Following the incident, the Patwar Union staged a strong protest outside the office of the Assistant Commissioner Chishtian, demanding the immediate arrest of all those involved, the recovery of official government records, and strict legal action against the attackers. Protesters alleged that the accused wanted to force the patwari into preparing a fabricated report regarding a disputed property and, after threatening him over the phone, sent armed men to carry out the attack. The union also claimed that official revenue records were taken away during the assault.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case against Somi Chishti and six unidentified accomplices under Sections 109, 148, 149, 353, 186, 189, and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code, and launched an investigation.

The registration of the FIR has been appreciated by members of the public, lawyers, government employees, and civil society organizations, who noted that Bahawalnagar Police acted in accordance with the law despite reports of political influence. They particularly commended DPO Bahawalnagar Muhammad Imran and RPO Bahawalpur Ghazi Muhammad Salahuddin for ensuring that the case was registered on merit and that the rule of law prevailed.

Citizens have called for a transparent, impartial, and merit-based investigation, urging authorities to bring all those responsible to justice if the allegations are substantiated. They emphasized that government officials must be able to perform their duties without fear, intimidation, or unlawful interference, and that such incidents should not be allowed to undermine public confidence in state institutions.