Peshawar police have suspended an assistant sub-inspector after a viral video showed him assaulting a sweeper at the Khyber Super Market, reigniting the debate over police accountability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The footage, widely shared across social media, captures the police officer grabbing the sweeper by his hair and pushing him around in full public view.
The confrontation reportedly began over a surprisingly trivial matter. According to reports, the sweeper was cleaning a commercial plaza when he released water towards the road. The assistant sub-inspector became infuriated by the water flowing onto the road and responded by physically attacking the worker rather than issuing a warning or following proper procedure.
The video drew an immediate and angry response online, with users questioning how an officer entrusted with public safety could behave with such aggression toward a labourer doing his job. As the footage spread, pressure mounted on the Peshawar police to take visible action against the officer involved.
Responding to the public outcry, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Farhan Khan took notice of the incident and ordered a formal inquiry into the matter. Police officials confirmed that the assistant sub-inspector has been suspended while the investigation is carried out.
Officials said the inquiry will determine the full circumstances of the assault and decide what further disciplinary action the officer will face. The suspension, they added, reflects the department’s position that such conduct by any member of the force will not be tolerated.
The incident is the latest in a series of cases in Pakistan where videos of police misconduct have surfaced on social media, forcing authorities to act. In many of these cases, it is only the power of viral footage that ensures accountability, as victims without smartphones often have no recourse against abusive officers.
For the Peshawar police, the episode also raises questions about training and the behaviour of lower-ranking officers who interact with the public every day. While senior leadership has acted swiftly this time, observers say the real test will be whether the inquiry results in meaningful punishment or fades quietly once public attention moves on.
Beyond the disciplinary process, the case has renewed calls from civil society for Peshawar police to run sensitisation sessions for rank-and-file officers, reminding them that manual labourers and sweepers are among the most vulnerable people they encounter on duty. Such incidents, activists argue, are about power imbalance as much as about policing.
With the inquiry now underway, all eyes will be on the findings and the final disciplinary outcome for the suspended assistant sub-inspector.
