SUKKUR: The first sessions judge of Sukkur on Saturday issued a notice to the district police chief on an application submitted by a lawyer’s son, Sarmad Jamal, to explain his position regarding the applicant’s alleged abduction by a police team a couple of days back.

Sarmad Jamal’s father Jamal Nasir Bulo, a lawyer belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), had reported detention of his son by a police team and claimed that his whereabouts were not known. Mr Bulo stated that he himself was booked in a case on political grounds.

After remaining missing for a couple of days, Sarmad appeared before the judge on Saturday and narrated his ordeal. He stated that a police team grabbed and hand cuffed him and then forced him into their mobile van, which drove towards Salehpat town. He further stated that he was blindfolded in the van while it was on the way. He alleged that the policemen told him to keep reciting ‘Kalma’ as they were going to throw him into river.

“After 15 minutes of journey, they received a call and after talking to the caller, they removed the handcuffs and dropped me at some place and sped away,” Sarmad stated, adding that he later realised that he was in a Salehpat area. “A car driver obliged me by picking me up and bringing me back to Sukkur,” he said.

Advocate Jamal Nasir had earlier told the media that he had been implicated in a “fake” case by the Pannu Aqil police and his son was taken away by a police team at the behest of certain influential political figures.

The Sukkur chapter of PML-F led by its provincial leader Mohammad Bachal along with other party colleagues had on Friday held a demonstration against the alleged highhandedness of the Pannu Aqil police.

The Sukkur sessions court has sought a report on the matter from the district police.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2022