SIALKOT, Jan 1: The Sialkot district and sessions judge, while taking serious notice of illegal detention of 11 people, including four minors and three women, by Saddar police , ordered the SHO and others to appear before the court on Jan 3 with complete record.
The police took them in custody on suspicion of committing a highway robbery on Dec 23. But they did not register their arrest in the record or lodged an FIR against them.
The family of exporter Malik Waris was deprived of Rs2.7 million in cash, gold and other valuables when they were returning from Lahore after attending a marriage function.
Sialkot DPO Nisar Ahmad Saroya held a press conference on Dec 28 and claimed that police have arrested the robbers. He had also claimed the recovery of 235 tolas of gold ornaments the robbers had buried in fields near Daakwala-Motra village, Daska tehsil.
The police did not produce them before newsmen. However, the DPO identified them as Hameed, Nazir, Tahir, Asim and Suleman and women Maqbool and Nahid. It is interesting to note that Suleman is two years old.
On Dec 29, the family of the detainees filed a habeas corpus petition. The judge deputed a bailiff who produced them before him. The names of those recovered by the bailiff are; Hameed, Nazir, Tahir, Asim, Suleman, Maqbool Bibi, Najma Bibi, Samina Bibi, Usman, 3, Sonia, 1, and three-month-old Kashif. Nahid is not among the detainees and her whereabouts are not known.
PROTEST: Teachers on Thursday observed strike against torture on executive district officer (education) Mirza Iqbal in his office by Pasrur tehsil Nazim Chaudhry Maqsood Ahmad and his gunman on Wednesday.
The protesters chanted slogans against the Nazim and demanded registration of a case against the accused. According to a press release, the Nazim and his gunman came to the office of EDO in Sialkot and interfered in his official routine. The EDO resisted his bid on which he became furious.
He beat up the EDO with the help of his gunman. They fired shots in the air to harass him. They threatened him with dire consequences if he reported the matter to police.
Protesters vowed to continue their strike till the registration of a case against the accused. When contacted, neither the Nazim nor the EDO were available for comments. Meanwhile, the Sialkot district Nazim ordered a probe into the incident.