Police allegedly use violence and arrest Aurat March leader Sheema Kermani and her companions outside the press club on Tuesday. Photo: X
The Sindh government on Wednesday suspended three police officers for allegedly subjecting women and transgender individuals from the Aurat March to violence and arrest outside Karachi Press Club (KPC).
A day earlier, the police allegedly used violence and arrested Aurat March leader Sheema Kermani and her companions when they arrived at the KPC to hold a press conference regarding the Aurat March at Seaview on May 10 in connection with Mother’s Day. After their arrest, the women and transgender individuals were taken to Artillery Maidan Police Station, from where they were later released following the intervention of senior officials.
Upholding the vision of President Zardari Sb & Chairman @BBhuttoZardari, Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar has suspended police officials involved in the arrest and manhandling of Aurat March organizers outside KPC, including veteran artist Sheema Kermani.
Those suspended… pic.twitter.com/il3PxkdvJ1
— Bhevish Kumar Maheshwari (@iambhevishk) May 6, 2026
After public backlash, on the instructions of the Home Minister, Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, Karachi Police Chief Azad Khan suspended SDPO Saddar DSP Nasir Afridi and transferred him to the Karachi Police Office.
SHO Artillery Maidan Inspector Nadeem Haider and SHO Women’s Police Station South Inspector Hina Mughal were also suspended. Furthermore, both SHOs were demoted by one rank, from Inspector to Sub-Inspector. An inquiry process is also ongoing against the suspended police officers.
During the investigation into the arrest and alleged mistreatment of Sheema Kermani, along with fifteen women activists from the Human Rights Commission, it was established that the police carried out the operation without the approval of senior police authorities.
Read: Aurat March organiser, activists briefly detained outside KPC
In his statement, Lanjar said there is a zero-tolerance policy against the misuse of authority, and that women’s dignity and rights will be protected at all costs.
