A Punjab Police constable has gone viral after his video emerged where he could be seen swinging punches, attempting headbutts against a citizen who attempted to interview him. He was later admitted to a hospital to receive necessary healthcare.
The incident occurred on a busy street in Lahore where reporters were recording a video on the performance of the traffic police on who they were stopping to issue tickets and who they were letting go. During the recording, they encountered a Punjab Police official riding on a motorbike without a number plate.
When the anchor attempted to stop the official and ask the traffic police constables nearby to issue him a ticket against this official, the official started lashing out.
The official, later identified as Constable Shahid Zohaib, abused the reporter in a threatening tone, and then he attempted to strike him and tried to get away.
During the profanity-laden verbal barrage by the official, the reporter asked him if this was what he would tell the Inspector General of Punjab Police, to which the official continued his profane tirade, even abusing the IGP and the Capital City Police Officer.
While attempting to escape, he tries to grab the reporter in a headlock. Still, the reporter wriggles out of his grip but hangs on to the official's motorbike.
His profanity-laden tirade continued even when traffic police constables and locals surrounded him.
The reporter claimed that the official was drunk. However, this could not be confirmed.
Psychotic break
Later, Punjab Police Chief Dr Usman Anwar took notice of the incident. However, instead of ordering disciplinary action against the official, he termed the incident a psychotic break for the official.
"Constable Shahid Zohaib is suffering from mental derailment disorder," said the IGP, a trained medical professional from King Edwards Medical College.
"Prior to this incident, there were reports of him being absent from duty for the past 15 days as well," he said in a video message posted by the official account of the Punjab Police on Friday.
A subtitle on the video read that the constable's family had reported how Zohaib would draw out daggers and attempt to attack his dear ones.
He is currently undergoing treatment for his mental health so that he can be rehabilitated.
It is important to tell the police that 200,000 officers will undergo screening and subsequently treatment for ten major medical problems, including mental screening and psychological profiling, which are necessary. Still, officers were resisting this measure out of fear that should their mental health issues are highlighted, they may be suspended or dismissed from the force, he said.
Police psychologist DIG Establishment Dr Inam Waheed, who sat next to IGP Dr Anwar, explained that a psychological evaluation of police officers is underway to provide officers who are affected with the help they need, give them counselling or any psychological intervention.
"We will identify them, take them to a psychologist for counselling and, if needed afterwards, provide them with the necessary medical care," DIG Waheed stated.
Its purpose is not to throw anyone out of the force, clarified IGP Dr Anwar.
"We promise the constables that we are not doing this to dismiss you but to prevent you from experiencing such a psychotic break, not kick you out of the force. We are providing due medical care to the constable because we are a responsible organization," the police chief said.
Constable Zohaib was later admitted to a hospital where he will be provided care for his disorder.