February 6, 2003	Thursday	Zul Hijjah 4,1423

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JHANG, Feb 5: Those tortured by police in Garh Maharaja last week called on federal interior minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat and Punjab law minister Raja Basharat in Lahore.

They met the federal minister on Sunday in the company of a former MPA from Garh Maharaja, Muzaffar Ali Khan. They met the Punjab law minister at his office on the following day, accompanied by a group of MPAs from Jhang and some other districts.

The victims informed the ministers about the third-degree torture perpetrated by the police and the humiliation suffered by them on account of the police highhandedness. They also complained of the failure of police highups to take action against the guilty officials.

The ministers assured the victims that they would have the matter probed by some honest police officer to make sure that the culprits were brought to book.

Last week, a police party allegedly beat up some 15 persons, who included a member of the Jhang Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in the presence of hundreds of onlookers at Garh Maha Chowk.

Garh Raja falls in the constituency where the interior minister contested the election.

Meanwhile, Garh Maharaja traders’ union has threatened to go on strike if no action is taken against the SHO concerned.

According to a police source, the Garh Maha Raja SHO claimed that the police action was part of a drive against sale of x-rated movies in Garh video shops.

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