Six Karachi cops suspended for posting ‘inappropriate’ social media videos

KARACHI: Six police constables in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi have been suspended for posting “inappropriate” videos on social media, police said on Thursday, days after the suspension of a policewoman for similar reasons. 
On Tuesday, Maria Gill was suspended after posting a TikTok video in which she could be seen inviting viewers to meet her at a location where she and other colleagues had been posted on duty. She was suspended for “unnecessarily endangering the privacy and lives of her fellow colleagues.”
On Thursday, Karachi police said six police constables, including two women, had been suspended “with immediate effect” over “inappropriate” videos posted on different social media platforms, calling on them to “report to their respective Zonal Headquarters, where they will be attend daily roll call and parade.”

Separately, Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon issued an order barring all officers from posting “inappropriate” videos while in uniform, forwarding “disgusting” messages on WhatsApp, or uploading any other content that harmed the reputation of the police department. 
“Strict action will be taken against any police official if they are found guilty of breaking these rules,” the statement said. 
This is not the first time a police officer in Pakistan has faced disciplinary action for social media activity deemed inappropriate by higher-ups. 
In August 2024, lady Constable Maryam Bhatti was dismissed from Rawalpindi police for similar reasons. 
On July 31, 2024, Constable Muqaddas from Islamabad was dismissed from the Federal Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department for making a TikTok video while using an official vehicle. 
On July 29, 2024, Assistant Sub-Inspector Inayatullah Niazi was suspended in Chiniot for allowing a transgender person to film a video in the SHO’s office, which was deemed “disrespectful” to the police uniform.
On February 27, 2024, Constable Bahawal Sher was suspended in Faisalabad for sharing a video on social media where he was seen smoking while in uniform and displaying pistols.
Lady Constable Sumbul from Sindh faced an investigation on October 14, 2023, for posting a controversial video supporting Israel while Lady Constable Mehwish Khan was suspended on May 16, 2022, in Muzaffargarh for uploading videos in police uniform.
On July 24, 2020, Constable Wafa Tauqeer was also suspended in Lahore after a TikTok video of her in uniform went viral.