October 24, 2008	Friday	Shawwal 24, 1429

HYDERABAD, Oct 23: A supporter of Amir Zardari and his wife Sheeba Zardari received 20 per cent burn injuries after he tried to commit self-immolation outside the press club here Thursday to protest against the couple’s expulsion from the Pakistan People’s Party.

Rasool Bukhsh Gopang has been admitted to the Civil Hospital’s burn wards and a case under section 325 of Qisas and Diyat Ordinance has been lodged against him by the Cantonment police.

In a statement which he distributed among journalists before committing self-immolation, he said that Sheeba was struggling for people’s rights and he could not see a woman lying on a footpath and workers of late Benazir Bhutto in such miserable condition.

He said that no one had time to ascertain Sheeba’s grievances and he was taking the extreme step so that those concerned should take notice of it and no Sheeba in future had to sit on a footpath.

He said that if any harm came to him, a case should be lodged against PPP leaders Zahid Bhurgari (currently a Sindh minister), Amanullah Siyal and Sher Mohammad Pirzada because they were responsible for expulsion of the couple from the party.

Then Gopang sprinkled kerosene on lower part of his body and showed it a live match. However, people and police intervened and saved him. He was arrested and taken to the hospital by the police.

Meanwhile, Amir and his wife continued their hunger strike on 10th day outside the press club in protest against their expulsion from the party.

In a statement, they deplored that no one had taken notice of their protest.