GUJRAT: Kunjha police have yet to register a case against those who tortured and kidnapped a former provincial minister and ex-MPA of the PML-N Mian Tariq Mehmood, besides shooting his guard, at Chak Pindi village on Monday.

It is learnt that Muhammad Ilyas, the host of the ceremony from where Mr Mehmood was kidnapped after torture, was also injured in the attack allegedly perpetrated by the ex-MPA’s political rivals. He was also under treatment at the trauma centre of the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital, with Mr Mehmood and his guard.

Mr Mehmood, in his application for registration of a case has accused his political rivals Ikhlaq Ranian, his brother Ijaz Ranian and their armed accomplices of the attack and kidnap bid after inaugural ceremony of a cement block factory and a service station. He said the attackers also snatched the weapon of his guard and thrashed the host.

He alleged that the attackers bundled him into a car and took him to their outhouse where they brutally tortured him, shaved his head and also recor ded a footage of the incident.

Later, he said, they took him to Jaura village where in front of some people they again tortured him and then threw him along a road.

He alleged that the attack was carried out at the behest of senior PML-Q leaders who harboured a grudge against him since he left the party in 2008.

Mr Mehmood told reporters at the hospital, that he had called on Gujrat district police officer a few months ago and apprised him of threats to his life from his political opponents who, he said, had been brandishing arms.

He said that he had told the DPO that if the police could not guarantee his security, he was ready to move abroad.

He said if the police did not register the case as per his application, he won’t get the case registered at all.

Meanwhile, Gujrat DPO Syed Ali Mohsin told Dawn that the attack on ex-MPA seemed to be well-planned and claimed the suspects, including Ranian brothers, would soon be nabbed by police.

He said Mr Mehmood wanted to change his complaint as initially he had also nominated the Punjab Assembly speaker and two other lawmakers. He added police were waiting for the new application to register the case and the investigation was under way.

About the rising incidents of violence involving political rivalries in Gujrat, particularly in the last few weeks, the DPO claimed that most of the suspects involved in such cases had been arrested.

Meanwhile, local PML-N leaders led by MNA Abid Raza Kotla, ex-lawmakers Haji Nasir Mahmood, Imran Zafar and others also visited the hospital and inquired after their injured party colleague. They strongly condemned the incident.

Prime suspect Ikhlaq Ranian had contested two general elections (in 2013 on PML-Q ticket, 2018 on TLP ticket) against Mr Mehmood who got elected to the Punjab Assembly six times from Dinga constituency.

Mr Mehmood got elected to the provincial assembly as PML-Q candidate in 2008. Earlier, his daughter Ms Maria Tariq was also elected an MPA as a Q nominee in 2002. However, he joined the PML-Q forward block in 2008 to support the PML-N government in Punjab.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd , 2019