Two Swat Policemen Arrested Over Tourist Assault Case

Two Swat policemen arrested over an alleged assault on a tourist are in custody after a woman from Peshawar said they sexually assaulted her at a hotel in Mingora. Police say a case has been registered against both men at Rahimabad police station, and an investigation is under way.

The woman had travelled to Swat with her husband. The couple were returning from Bahrain, a popular tourist spot in the valley, when the officers allegedly stopped them at Engro Dherai Chowk in Mingora on the pretext of an investigation.

The officers then allegedly took the couple to a hotel on Bypass Road, where the woman was assaulted. The woman also alleged that the men threatened to kill her if she reported what had happened. The allegations have not yet been tested in court, and no charge has been proved.

Swat policemen arrested after CCTV check

The woman filed her complaint at Rahimabad police station on Wednesday night. District Police Officer Muhammad Umar Khan took immediate notice of the complaint, Swat Police said.

Station House Officer Zahidullah Khan and his team then used CCTV footage to identify the two men and arrested them. Police identified the arrested officers as Waheed Mahmood, son of Badshah Muhammad, a resident of Allah Dhand in Batkhela, and Muhammad Ghazanfar, son of Muhammad Safdar, a resident of Chamkani in Peshawar.

One of the two men is also reported to be an ex-serviceman. According to police sources, neither officer was posted within the jurisdiction of Rahimabad police station. Cases have been registered against both officers, and both are in custody while the investigation continues. Aaj News reported the arrests on Thursday.

Why the case matters for Swat tourism

Swat draws large numbers of visitors from across Pakistan, and Bahrain is one of its best-known stops. The road from Bahrain to Mingora passes through the heart of the valley, and tourists rely on police check posts along the route for their safety.

That is what makes the allegation so damaging. The complaint says the officers used the authority of a check post, the pretext of an investigation, to stop a visiting couple and take them to a hotel. If the allegation is proved, it would mean the very officials posted to protect travellers used their position against them.

The police response has been swift so far. The district police chief took notice on the night of the complaint, CCTV footage was used to identify the men, and both were arrested within a day. The case will now turn on the investigation and the evidence placed before a court.

Visitors to the valley have other reasons to know the area. Bahrain is where two rivers become one, and it sits on the route the couple were travelling. The valley’s Buddhist heritage is another draw, with the Jahanabad Buddha carved into a cliff above the valley floor.

Police accountability cases of this kind are rare in the public record, but the pattern is familiar from other parts of the country. Law enforcement agencies have faced similar complaints before, and the test in each case is whether the department acts against its own men. In this instance, the arrests came quickly. What follows, a fair investigation and a trial on the evidence, will decide whether that speed leads to justice.

The case also sits alongside other recent action by law enforcement agencies. Customs officials recently uncovered a Rs277 million import fraud at Karachi port, while the Federal Investigation Agency arrested a man for selling fake Umrah visas in a Rs7 million fraud.

Frequently asked questions

Who was arrested in the Swat case?

Two police officers, Waheed Mahmood of Batkhela and Muhammad Ghazanfar of Peshawar, were arrested after a woman from Peshawar alleged they assaulted her at a hotel in Mingora.

Where did the alleged incident take place?

The couple were allegedly stopped at Engro Dherai Chowk in Mingora while returning from Bahrain, and the woman was allegedly taken to a hotel on Bypass Road.

How were the officers identified?

Police said Station House Officer Zahidullah Khan and his team used CCTV footage to identify the two men after the woman filed her complaint.

Has a case been registered?

Yes. Police confirmed that cases have been registered against both officers at Rahimabad police station, and an investigation is under way.

Have the allegations been proved?

No. The allegations have not yet been tested in court, and the case remains subject to investigation and judicial determination.