October 12, 2006	Thursday	Ramazan 18, 1427

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SAHIWAL, Oct 11: A medical board constituted on the orders of the district and sessions judge on Thursday confirmed physical torture of a murder convict.

Ikramullah Niazi was accused of creating a law and order situation in his death cell at the central prison. The jail staff in order to control the situation had subjected him to torture.

Later, relatives of Niazi filed a writ petition with the district and sessions judge who ordered his medical examination.

The board examined the body and confirmed the torture.

Reports said Ikramullah Niazi and his four accomplices Amir Abdullah, Saulat Khan, Riaz alias Shahid and Amanullah had killed PML-N former provincial minister Haji Akramullah Khan and his four colleagues at Ghaus-e-Azam village, Mianwali on Jan 13, 1999 over an old enmity.

A Sargodha anti-terrorism court had awarded death sentence to all the five killers on July 29, 1999. After rejection of his appeal by the high court on Nov 20, 2001, Mr Niazi had been shifted to Sahiwal central jail.

SHUTTERDOWN: Commission agents of local grain market on Thursday observed a shutdown strike against the imposition of withholding tax on cash withdrawals.

They also took out a protest procession under the leadership of grain market association office-bearers Hafiz Abdul Ghaffar and Chaudhry Ziaul Haq.

They warned that commission agents from all over Punjab grain markets would join the strike in case the government did not withdraw the tax. The commission agents hailed the Punjab Assembly’s move in this regard.

INJURED: A school teacher was injured by the firing of robbers near Chak 75/12-L on Wednesday night.

Reports said Muhammad Nawaz was returning to his village on his motorcycle when three robbers opened fire on him and injured him, depriving him of his bike.

Nawaz has been admitted to hospital. Shah Kot police have registered a case under Section 394 of the PPC.