December 16, 2002	Monday	Shawwal 11, 1423

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FAISALABAD, Dec 15: The Punjab Bar Council and the District Bar Association have condemned the illegal detention of a local lawyer and demanded his immediate release.

The DBA, at a meeting presided over by its president Muhammad Rafique Batalvi on Saturday, condemned the unlawful detention of advocate Rana Zulfikar Ali.

The meeting was informed that Sub-Inspector Bilal Mansoor of the Peoples Colony police with dozens of police commandos entered the house of Rana Zulfikar by scaling the boundary walls.

The police team entered the bedroom of the lawyer by breaking open the locks. The policemen also thrashed the inmates of the house when they objected to the unlawful raid and behaviour of the police.

The SI overpowered Zulfikar Ali and dragged him out of the house, claiming that he was wanted in a number of cases. Later, the lawyer was locked up in the Peoples Colony police station.

The meeting was informed that when some lawyers approached the police for the release of Zulfikar Ali, SI Bilal misbehaved with them and threatened to kill Rana Zulfikar in a staged encounter.

Through an unanimous resolution, the meeting urged Governor Khalid Maqbool and Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi to order release of the lawyer and stern action against policeman who humiliated Rana Zulfikar.

Later, a delegation of senior lawyers headed by DBA president Rafique Batalvi lodged a formal complaint with District and Sessions Judge Jawed Iqbal Siddiqui against SI Bilal Mansoor.

The judge directed the sub-inspector to appearing before him in person on Monday.

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