January 10, 2008	Thursday	Zilhaj 30, 1428

FAISALABAD, Jan 9: Alleged abduction of a married woman has pulled the candidates of PML-Q and PPP for PP-67 into a brawl which the latter claims is a ploy of the former ruling party’s local leaders to offset his electioneering.

A blame game between PML-Q aspirant Arif Touseef, a brother of District Nazim Rana Zahid Touseef, and city secretary-general of PPP and former MPA Dr Asad Moazzam, started when Ghulam Mohammad Abad police registered an abduction case against Shehzad Moazzam, younger brother of Dr Asad and nazim of union council 222.

Mr Arif Touseef is contesting for the slot for the first time, while Dr Asad, the PPP man was winner from the constituency with 22,291 votes in 2002 general elections.

The complainant, Mohammad Asif, stated in the FIR that Shehzad Moazzam kidnapped his sister Farzana on Dec 29. He said that he came to know about Shehzad’s alleged involvement in the abduction when the latter informed him about his sister through a call made from his cell phone.

The police immediately registered a case against Shehzad under section 496-A of the Women Protection Act. However, the accused was not arrested.

The applicant, through local media, appealed to higher authorities for action against the accused. He particularly mentioned the name of Dr Asad in the advertisement.

Dr Asad’s family claims the Ranas masterminded what they called the drama. “Being our political rivals, they (Rana family) were much perturbed because of our popularity and a strong possibility of Asad’s victory in the approaching general elections. Thus, they used this negative tactic to pressurise us, but their efforts would not yield any results,” they said.

They claimed the district nazim got registered the case by exerting pressure on police officials.

On the other hand, Mr Arif told journalists his brother had nothing to do with such `dirty games’. “We believe in clean politics,” he claimed.

Sources privy to the matter say Shehzad was just mediating a domestic dispute on the request of Farzana. She was insisting that she be sent to Darul Aman.

Shehzad had called up Asif to convey the situation, but he never turned up and his sister left the office of the former for some unknown destination.

Police concerned also termed the matter staged which had roots in local politics.

A police officer requesting anonymity claimed the woman had been traced and she was residing in Lahore Darul Aman. In her statement she categorically dispelled the impression that someone had kidnapped her, he added.

He said despite the woman’s statement Shehzad was not being cleared in the case.

Dr Asad will apprise the media of his position at a press conference on Thursday (today).