MULTAN, Nov 16: A clash between the revolting tenants and law enforcement personnel averted at the Okara military farms as sanity prevailed in police highups just before iftar on Saturday.

Rangers whisked away Hamid, son of tenant Khushi Muhammad of Chak 10/4-L, from a graveyard near a canal bridge on Saturday noon as part of the ongoing ‘harassment campaign’ to force the rebel tenants to budge before the authorities.

As the news of Hamid’s arrest spread, hundreds of women and children started gathering at Chak 10/4-L where Rangers authorities had sent a contingent to handle the situation. Being great in number the protesters, however, surrounded the rangers and demanded immediate release of Hamid.

The rangers called in reinforcement from the police department to end the siege. The elite force personnel reportedly misbehaved with the women folk of Chak 8/4-L in order to refrain them to reach the troubled spot. This further infused anger among the tenants and the situation became tense.

By that time, the iftar time became nearer while hundreds of people and the law enforcers were engaged in a stand-off. A DSP leading the police contingent reportedly got a wireless message from the district police headquarters to resolve the matter ‘amicably’. The tenants ended the siege of Rangers contingent when the police assured them that Hamid would be released on Monday (Nov 18).

It may be added that arrests and release of tenants and their family members have become a permanent feature in Okara military farms since the arrival of rangers.

A few days ago some six people, including a four class student, were picked up by the law enforcers. Later, they were released when the tenants mounted pressure through street agitation.

Meanwhile, Anjuman Mazareen Punjab has called an emergent meeting of its working committee in Lahore on Sunday (today) to discuss the situation arose at the Okara farms.

Talking to Dawn, AMP secretary-general Younas Iqbal said the meeting would also discuss the option of a province-wise protest if the rangers and police again tried to push the tenants to the wall in Okara.