LAHORE, Dec 13: The Okara police and the Rangers on Friday took into custody father of the tenant who was killed on Aug 24.

According to a press release issued by Anjuman Mazareen Punjab, the law-enforcement agencies wanted to pressurize the murdered Salman Masih’s family into withdrawing the case against the Rangers. The father, Patras Masih, according to family sources, had been taken to Lahore where he would be presented before the DG Rangers.

The AMP, meanwhile, has expressed fears about the life of Mr Patras. “The law-enforcement agencies want to kill Mr Patras to ensure that nobody pursues the case of Salman’s murder. There is no case registered against Mr Patras, yet he has been arrested.”

If any harm comes to Mr Patras, around one million tenants would be protesting on the roads, the AMP warned, demanding his immediate release. “Such cowardice cannot force the AMP to give up its struggle for ownership of land.”

Mr Patras is the second tenant picked up by the Okara police during the last four days. AMP president Khushi Dolla was arrested at a tenants’ rally in Lahore on Dec 10.