December 19, 2006	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 27, 1427

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BAHAWALPUR, Dec 18: A pregnant woman of Tibba Badar Shair near Satellite Town was allegedly tortured to death on Monday during a police raid conducted to arrest her son for petty theft.

Relatives of the deceased, Tasleem Bibi, 45, mother of seven, alleged she was tortured by an ASI, Farman, of Baghdadul Jadid police station during a raid on her house.

They said as she was pregnant, she started bleeding profusely as a result of the torture. As her condition turned critical, the police officials took her to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Her postmortem report was awaited.

However, SHO concerned, denying torture allegations, said the police two days ago conducted raid on the house of a rickshaw driver, Allaha Ditta, whose son Jahangir was wanted in a theft case registered by the owner of a junkyard. During the raid, the woman started bleeding as her relatives had administered aspirin to her, he claimed.

The police have registered no case so far.

MQM: MQM MNA and parliamentary secretary for communication Dr Abdul Qadir Khanzada has said his party must bring a political change in Punjab by 2012.

Talking to media men here, Dr Khanzada said that without ending the feudal system national integrity could not be ensured.

He said since the MQM launched a drive against feudal lords in Punjab, they were perplexed by the increasing popularity of the party.

He alleged though conspiracies against the MQM were being hatched, but the party workers could not be deterred by such intrigues.