ISLAMABAD, May 30: Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Friday condemned the arrest of the Punjab parliamentary leadership and party activists as “undemocratic” and “inhuman”.

In a statement issued by the PPP media cell here on Friday, the former premier said it was “barbaric” that elected representatives of the people were “prevented from entering the assembly, beaten and had their clothes torn off,” and political workers arrested and sent to jails in far-off locations.

She said the arrest of the parliamentarians and workers was an “eye-opener” to the farce of civilian rule that cost the nation “billions of rupees in fraudulent elections.”

Ms Bhutto said the elected parliamentarians and political activists were being subjected to physical assault and their fundamental human rights violated.

She said the unrest was sparked while Prime Minsiter Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali was attempting to initiate a dialogue with the opposition on the Legal Framework Order. “It is obvious that the parliamentary method of solving problems through dialogue was being sabotaged by those that had vested interests in overthrowing democracy since 1996,” she said.

She noted that press reports indicated that the speaker had not ordered the arrest of the parliamentarians.

“The shabby treatment meted out to the parliamentarians and political activists could only increase their resolve to fight for democracy,” she said.

She praised the Punjab Assembly parliamentarians and all the political workers, particularly the women, for their “courage” in the face of “attempts to intimidate” them.

The regime had transferred those arrested to distant jails far from family and friends to psychologically disorient them, she said.

According to reports, Gen Mehdi of the Rangers was instrumental in the brutal assault on the elected representatives, the statement said and added that the actions of the general were contrary to army rules.

It added that Gen Mehdi was seen as the moving force behind actions against the tenants of Okara military farms.