11 February 2005	Friday	01 Muharram 1426

HYDERABAD, Feb 10: Family members of Abu Bakar Panwhar, who died in custody of the Satellite Town police on Jan 25, observed a token hunger strike outside the press club here on Wednesday.

They demanded that the investigation of the case should be entrusted to some honest and competent officer.

Those who observed the hunger strike included Abu Bakar's two wives, Rasheeda and Jannat, his eight children and a brother, Hidayat Panwhar.

Mr Hidayat told journalists that his family was not satisfied with the current investigation process of the murder case of his brother.

He alleged that police authorities had been harassing his family and issuing threats following the registration of the murder case against policemen of the Satellite Town police station. He said even those people who were coming to them for offering condolences were being harassed. He added that 22 policemen belonging to the Panwhar community had been transferred to other districts.

He regretted that police constable Arif and police mobile driver Anwar, who had tortured his brother in the police mobile, had not been arrested.

Mr Hidayat said his family members had threatened to commit self-immolation if justice was not restored to them.

People's Party Parliamentarians MPAs Zahid Bhurgari and Farheen Mughal met the family and offered their help. They assured the family of legal assistance and taking up the matter in the Sindh Assembly.