Restaurant Staff Arrested After Refusing Police Burger Demand

9 officers in Pakistan have now been suspended
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 16, 2021 2:32 PM CDT
Why a Burger Restaurant in Pakistan Is Being Praised
Police brought all 19 employees outside before taking them to a police station.   (YouTube)

A burger restaurant in Pakistan is being praised for taking a stand against corrupt cops. Gohar Iqbal, chief executive of the Johnny & Jugnu chain, says the full on-shift staff of one of its three Lahore restaurants was arrested after refusing to give free burgers to a group of police officers, the New York Times reports. The 19 workers were taken into custody—leaving fryers still running and customers waiting for their food—and held at a police station for seven hours, Iqbal says. He says he received a "stunning response" after he spoke out about the incident on social media. "Within hours, the customers spread the word, with many messaging that they had spoken to higher authorities on our behalf," he tells the Times.

In an Instagram post, Iqbal said his team had been "dragged to the police station because they refused to give free burgers to someone 'very special.'" He urged fellow business owners and other citizens to join him in condemning "people who misuse their power." Nine police officers have now been suspended. "No one is allowed to take the law into his own hands. Injustice will not be tolerated. All of them will be punished," said provincial police chief Inam Ghani, per the BBC. Iqbal says it's common for police to demand free food, but "the demands kept on increasing, culminating in the Friday night episode." He says he was invited to Ghani's office Tuesday and the chief promised him strict action would be taken against corruption. (More Pakistan stories.)

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