December 31, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 20, 1428

MIANWALI, Dec 30: The group of an election candidate of Kalabagh has allegedly let loose its indignation against a local prayer leader by injuring him critically, accusing him of passing derogatory remarks against them in the company of their rival contestant.

Relatives and rights activists on Sunday told a press conference that Qari Muhammad Qasim Shah, an Arabic teacher at the Government Elementary School, Mari-Indus, visited the corner meeting arranged by Amanatullah Khan Shadikhel, who is contesting election for NA-71 and PP-43 against a Nawabzada of Kalabagh.

The Qari, they said, recited verses from the Holy Quran and rendered it into Urdu with explanations.

Getting the scent of the happening, some supporters of the Kalabagh group charged him with delivering provocative speeches and tortured him, breaking his legs and inflicting injuries on his head and face. They also implicated the Qari in a case by taking the plea that a girl of Awan family of Farooqabad got registered a case No 322 under sections 457 and 354 of PPC against the schoolteacher for sneaking into her home at night with ill intention.

On the complaint of the defendant Qari, the police instituted a counter-case No 323 under sections 337 and A-2/34 against the brothers of the girl for inflicting severe injuries on him.

Teams of journalists reached the DHQ Hospital close to the press club where the teacher was admitted with broken legs and scarred face. He told journalists that he was an MA in Arabic and BEd and executing his duties for the last eight years in Mari-Indus city school. He said he was also running a seminary, Jamia Misbahul Quran, at his Farooqabad village.

Pleading his case, he said a few days ago around 8:30pm, Falaksher and Nur Zaman, brothers of the girl in question, came to his seminary and requested him to visit their home to recite verses from the Holy Quran for the recuperation of their ailing sister.

Qasim, who admitted having used spiritual method of treating the patient (dam and taweez) and soon afterwards, her brothers took him to another room and started beating him with axe and pistol butt, accusing him of uttering derogatory words against the candidate from Kalabagh.

He said during the corner meeting he only recited the Holy Quran and translated its verses. Now that he was being treated in hospital, the Qari said, Shadikhel was bearing the expenditure on his treatment.

The Daudkhel SHO said facts would be known only after an exhaustive inquiry.