A rickshaw driver who set himself on fire to protest police demands for bribes, died of severe burns in Karachi on Monday. Rickshaw driver Muhammad Khalid, a resident of Model Colony, had set himself on fire after dousing with petrol near the city police office in Karachi’s Saddar area on Saturday, saying he was “fed up” with the daily challan and alleged “extortion” by the traffic police. He was rushed to Civil Hospital Karachi’s Burns Ward but doctors couldn’t save him as he succumbed to the injuries. In his statement being shared on social media, Khalid had alleged that Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Mohammed Hanif had been extracting Rs 100 from him on a daily basis. He gave the policeman Rs 50 on Saturday, but the latter insisted on Rs100 and on refusal the ASI handed him a challan. The poor rickshaw driver blamed that he was victimized several times by traffic police. Sindh Police Inspector General Dr Syed Kaleem Imam had taken notice of the incident and ordered the DIG traffic to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report to him. Karachi police Chief Dr Amir Shaikh had suspended the traffic police official and visited the rickshaw driver at the hospital. Meanwhile, two cases were lodged against the traffic policeman, Hanif, for asking for bribes and causing the suicide. Police said he had already been arrested. Published in Daily Times, October 23rd 2018.