March 13, 2006	Monday	Safar 12, 1427

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MIANWALI, March 12: Two ARD activists who were arrested from Lahore in the wake of anti-blasphemy protests were severely thrashed and humiliated in the central jail here, allegedly at the behest of Punjab government.

This was stated by HRCP district coordinator Advocate Khalil Khan and Manzoor Khan at a press conference here on Sunday.

The lawyers said in connection with the agitation in Lahore against the publication of blasphemous caricatures, police arrested a large number of protesters for violating section 144 CrPC, and raided various places.

They said that on the night of Feb 20, the police arrested many ARD activists under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order, and the following day 29 of them were shifted to Mianwali Central Jail.

Meanwhile, 13 of the protesters were released on the high court orders, while 16 were still in the jail, having affiliation with PML-N, PPPP and MMA.

Mr Khalil, referring to the petitions filed in Mianwali district and sessions court by PML-N activist Nazir Ahmed Khan Swati, a Sanda kalan UC nazim, and PPPP’s Pervaiz alias Boodi Pehlwan, said the two activists were allegedly subjected to severe torture and humiliation by the jail officials. They have sought registration of a case against the jail officials.

Boodi Pehlwan alleged in the petition that he was stripped off by the jail Deputy Superintendent Muhammad Younas and was brutally tortured in front of other inmates. The both activists are still under treatment at the jail hospital.

On court orders, medical check up of the both applicants was conducted by Dr Maqbool Ahmed, which confirmed the torture with recommendation of registration of case under section 337 (L-2) PPC against the jail officials, he said.

Mr Khalil alleged that the Central Jail had become heaven for corrupt officials and lawlessness prevailed there.

He further alleged that the jail officials had no respect for the jail manual and they often subject the inmates, especially the political activists, to physical torture.

He also criticised Punjab government for transferring political workers belonging to opposition parties to Mianwali jail without cogent reasons.

Jail Superintendent Rana Abdul Raoof was not available for his comments. However, Assistant Superintendent Rana Shahid claimed that the two activists raised slogans against President Gen Pervaiz Musharraf and they might have received some ‘bruises’ during a ‘scuffle’ with jail guards.

The HRCP officials demanded Judicial inquiry against Muhammad younas and other jail officials involved in the incident besides launching of an FIR against them for their alleged excesses.