Pakistani FC guard who slapped female reporter gets pre-arrest bail

FIR against the Kanwal and her team members carried the sections of the Pakistan Penal Code defining punishment for those who created hindrance in official work and challenged the writ of the state.

Karachi, Oct 23 A Sessions Court in Karachi on Saturday granted an interim pre-arrest bail to the Frontier Constabulary (FC) guard Hasan Abbas, who had slapped a female reporter of a Pakistani private news channel K-21 in Karachi.

Abbas through his lawyer moved a pre-arrest bail application before an Additional District and Sessions Judge (central), who granted it against a surety bond of 50,000 Pakistani rupees, Dawn online reported.

The reporter Saima Kanwal had lodged a complaint against the Frontier Constabulary guard for allegedly slapping her in the face during the recording of a television show on Thursday, after a video clip that showed the FC guard slapping the reporter went viral on social media.

On the same day, the police had registered a "counter-case" against the said reporter on the complaint of a National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) official for creating "hindrances in official work", Dawn online added.

The FIR against the Kanwal and her team members carried the sections of the Pakistan Penal Code defining punishment for those who created hindrance in official work and challenged the writ of the state.

The unsavoury episode has triggered a debate about media ethics, code of conduct for journalists and the behaviour of broadcast journalists. It also kicked off discussions about the need for training of security officials performing duties at public places.

IANS