Railway police face kidnapping, torture case after KMC road dispute

A kidnapping and torture case has been registered against Pakistan Railways Police officials following a confrontation with Karachi Metropolitan Corporation personnel at an under-construction road in Karachi. The case was lodged at Shahrah-i-Faisal police station on the complaint of KMC City Wardens Director Saim Imran, who accused the officials of assaulting and unlawfully detaining him.

The dispute concerns a dual-carriageway project running alongside Chakor Nullah and connecting Natha Khan Bridge with Pehlwan Goth and Habib University. Valued at approximately Rs780 million, the project is intended to provide an alternative route and reduce congestion on Sharea Faisal, Rashid Minhas Road, Dalmia Road and roads serving Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

According to the allegations recorded in the first information report, Imran was performing traffic-management duties at the construction site when Railway Police personnel arrived. He alleged that he was assaulted, taken to an undisclosed location and subjected to further mistreatment after refusing demands to perform degrading acts. The complainant said he later regained consciousness at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. These accusations remain subject to investigation and have not yet been established by a court.

The confrontation began after Railway Police stopped work at the site, maintaining that construction was taking place on land belonging to the Karachi Circular Railway without proper authorisation. KMC officials disputed that position, saying the municipal body had completed the necessary legal requirements before beginning the project. Earlier accounts said the argument escalated into pushing and physical violence before the City Wardens director was taken away.

A Railways official said the department was collecting information about the incident and would decide its next course of action after reviewing the relevant details. The municipal administration questioned why the land objection had been raised when the multi-million-rupee project was approaching completion and warned that the dispute could jeopardise a public infrastructure scheme intended to ease traffic problems.

The road was reported to be scheduled for completion by October 30. Earlier this month, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said work around Chakor Nullah had entered its final stage and would improve connections between Natha Khan Road, Sharea Faisal and Gulistan-i-Jauhar. The planned route is particularly important for residents and commuters travelling through Pehlwan Goth, Dalmia and adjoining neighbourhoods.

The dispute now has two separate dimensions: a criminal investigation into the allegations made by the City Wardens director and an administrative disagreement over land ownership and construction permission. Unless the two public institutions resolve the land question quickly, the confrontation could delay the road’s opening and postpone the expected traffic relief for several heavily travelled parts of Karachi.

Investigators will need to examine medical evidence, witness accounts, surveillance footage and the conduct of the officials named in the complaint. Separately, Pakistan Railways and KMC will have to verify ownership records, approvals and project boundaries. Further action will depend on the police investigation and the outcome of talks between the federal railway authorities and the city administration.