April 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1429

HYDERABAD, April 21: An MPA and a leader of the PPP are victimising Azad Magsi Ittehad Council members and pressurising them to change their loyalties, said Chambar Taluka Nazim Abdul Fayyaz Sheikh. The two are Imdad Pitafi and Abdul Sattar Bachani, respectively.

Speaking at a news conference at the local press club on Monday, Mr Sheikh, husband of Tando Allahyar District Nazim Dr Rahila Magsi said his supporters were being picked up by police and subjected to torture.

“Naib Nazim Zulfikar Ali Thebo was picked up by police and others and confined in a private bungalow to make him change his loyalty and was tortured. However, he managed to escape and reached here”, Fayyaz Sheikh said.

He claimed another member of the Council Deewan Kanhya Lal was also kidnapped from his house on Monday by SHO police station Chambar, MPA Imdad Pitafi, PPP leader Abdul Sattar Bachani, Taluka Nazim Tando Allahyar Haji Khair Mohammad Khokhar, and Aftab Khokhar. “Kanhya Lal was also tortured”, he said.

Besides, he said, all our supporters were being booked on false charges in the area and even their relatives were not being spared. He alleged that state machinery was being fully utilised to bring cooked up charges of water theft against them. “Its all being done to coerce Azad Magsi Ittehad (AMI) members into switching over to the PPP”, he said.

He said his supporters were being threatened with dire consequences and their children unable to continue their education. He added that Allah Dino Otho was implicated in false water theft case and his relatives being forced to change their loyalties.He charged that one of the AMI members was still in custody of opponents. He said the AMI had executed unprecedented development works in Tando Allahyar which was not liked by the rivals who were out to get him removed through no confidence motion. He vowed to face all repressive measures and said to observe hunger strikes and protest demonstrations.

He said this was being done to defame present government. He appealed to President, Prime Minister, PPP co chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, Governor and Chief Minister Sindh and federal interior adviser to take notice of vindictive measures in Chambar taluka. He said an impartial inquiry should be conducted and action taken against policemen involved in it.