May 06, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 18, 1428

MULTAN, May 5: The Pakpattan police on Saturday registered a case against the Army Welfare Trust staff for clash with tenants the other day. On the complaint of Khalil Ahmad, a resident of Bael Gunj (Pakpattan), the Chak Bedi police registered a case under section 324, 365, 148 and 149 against 14 farm members, including Piran Ditta, Muhammad Asif Azad, Mureed Husain, Noor Hassan, Fareed, Faiz Ahmad, Sarfraz, Tufail, Allah Wassaya, Muhammad Azam, Maroof, Illyas and Bakhtiar. No arrest was made till last reports came in.

The Anjuman-i-Mazarin alleged that the Rangers and the staff of army farm on Friday shot at and injured nine tenants. Regional Police Officer (Multan) Mirza Muhammad Ali, however, claimed that only two peasants were injured in the clash and some staff members of farm and the Rangers’ staff were also hurt.

Dr Christopher John of the AMP condemned the incident and demanded arrest of all those involved in the case.

AMP secretary-general Mehr Abdul Sattar told this correspondent that the police were reluctant to lodge an FIR against Col Waseem Butt (retired), the farm manager. He quoted the police as saying that they could not register a case against the former serviceman without prior permission of the GHQ.