Rawalpindi: A police officer and three of his subordinates were suspended for ill-treatment of a citizen in Pakistan's Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

The victim alleged that he was tortured by the station house officer (SHO) of Sadiqabad Tahir Rehan and three constables who came to his snooker club and threatened him to close it following which the victim lodged a complaint with the city police officer (CPO) of Rawalpindi, according to Dawn.

The victim further claimed that he was tortured and mistreated by the police.

However, after the victim brought the incident to the CPO's notice, the police officials were suspended after a brief investigation, Dawn reported.

New York-based rights watchdog in a document earlier, condemned the widespread use of torture and other ill-treatment by the Pakistani police during criminal investigations.

Notably, the marginalized groups are at particular risk of police abuse in Pakistan and the cases continue to rise with every passing day.

In a widely publicized case in September 2019, Salahuddin Ayubi died in police custody after being arrested for theft. A forensic report confirmed that Ayubi, whose family said he had a mental health condition, had been severely beaten.

Rights groups claimed that police typically use torture to obtain confessions and other information from suspects, or to extract bribes from those in custody.

Over the years, several investigations and reports by journalists have provided in-depth insights into torture and killings in police custody and illegal detentions.

Moreover, allegations of torture and killings have further undermined the reputation of police officers, resulting in civilians harbouring a negative image of the police as civilians are now less likely to respect the authority of police officials or believe that the police is the institution most adequate for maintaining order and public safety.