MULTAN, May 11: A tenant, who had sustained injuries in a clash with the Rangers and military farm staff at Bael Gunj in Pakpattan district on May 4, died at Mayo Hospital in Lahore on Friday. In all, nine tenants had received injuries.
Zafar Iqbal, 22, had received a bullet wound when he tried to foil an attempt by the military farm staff to pick up two tenants upon their refusal to pay the contract money. He was admitted to Pakpattan DHQ Hospital from where he was shifted to General Hospital, Lahore on May 7. On the advice of the LGH administration, Iqbal was taken to Jinnah Hospital on May 11. Since all the 12 lungs-supportive machines were in use, doctors suggested relatives of Iqbal to shift him to Mayo Hospital, but they encountered with the same situation there. Consequently, Iqbal died on Friday.
Deceased Iqbal, who was cultivating 12 acres land at the military farm, was wedded only six months ago. The body was being taken to his native town for burial till the last report came in.
Anjuman Mazareen Punjab secretary-general Mahr Abdul Sattar condemned the incident and demanded that Section 302 should be inserted in the FIR.
He said they would move court to get a case registered against Col Muhammad Waseem Butt (retired) for his alleged role in the firing incident.
Mr Sattar said that tenant Tufail Ahmad Cheema had also died owing to the firing by military farm staff in 2001. He, however, said that relatives of the deceased had to withdraw the FIR under duress.
He said another person, Manzoor Faheem, had also lost his life in the firing incident at the Punjab Seed Corporation farm in Khanewal.
In yet another incident, he said tenant Salman Pitras of 10/4L was killed and another 12 sustained injuries when Okara military farm administration had opened fire on tenants at Chak 4/4L on Aug 24, 2002. The FIR was registered against the tenants instead.
On May 5, 2003, the Rangers had allegedly fired at tenants who were protesting against the administration on both sides of the GT Road at Chak 4/4L, Okara. The incident had left Yaqoob Masih of 10/4L injured. Again, he said, the FIR was instituted against the tenants.
He said on May 11, 2003, the Rangers once again opened fire on tenants that resulted in the instant death of Muhammad Ameer and injuries to Abdul Latif at 9/4L in Pul Meher, Okara. On each occasion, he said the FIR was registered against the tenants.
The AMP secretary-general said that a number of cases were registered against tenants and two of them were serving five-year jail term.
He said some 32 relatives of tenants had been dismissed from their jobs despite the fact that most of them were about to reach their retirement age.
Mr Sattar said that tenants would continue their struggle despite all odds.
He said tenants had no objection to the construction of wall around Okara Cantonment if it was meant for security. But, he said that 30 per cent area acquired from tenants was being utilized to build a housing colony. He said the land was being sold to people at high prices.
They wanted to build more housing colonies on hundreds of acres of acquired land only for monetary gains, but tenants would resist it, he said.