18 April 2005	Monday	08 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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ISLAMABAD, April 17: People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) MNA Sherry Rehman says the party is considering to register kidnapping cases against the government and the police officials for “illegally” detaining the party parliamentarians and workers on the arrival of Asif Zardari in Lahore.

Talking to Dawn soon after her release on Sunday, the PPP MNA said the party leadership was holding consultations with senior lawyers on the issue of registering kidnapping cases and a decision would be taken soon in this regard.

Giving details, Ms Rehman said she was picked up by the police from outside the residence of corps commander, Lahore, when she was going to the Lahore airport with MNA Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan. She said the police first took her to Sarwar Road police station and later shifted her with MNA Naheed Khan, Senator Dr Safdar Abbasi and president of PPP Lahore Women Wing Sajida Mir to an undisclosed location near Wagah.

She said the police officials also snatched their cell phones and locked them in a cell having no electricity and other facilities. She said the law-enforcement agencies personnel told them that they had been kept in a guest house, but it seemed to be an army interrogation cell.

She said they had been detained close to the border, as they heard firing shots throughout the night. She said they were not even allowed to contact their family members or lawyers.

Ms Rehman said ironically no lady police official was present there and officials of secret agencies, Rangers and police kept on guarding them. She said the agencies people told them that they had been directed by the higher authorities to teach them (the PPP leaders) a lesson.

Ms Rehman said she and Sajida Mir were released on Sunday noon but Naheed Khan and Safdar Abbasi were still in their custody.

Meanwhile, the PPP Secretary-General MNA Raja Parvaiz Ashraf, in a statement, warned the government of serious consequences if any harm was done to Naheed Khan and Senator Safdar Abbasi.

Mr Ashraf said the regime should not forget that such brutal treatment of members of parliament would not be tolerated by the party any more.