Papers of tenants’ leader rejected

Published September 1, 2002

MULTAN, Aug 31: Nomination papers of the Anjuman Mazareen Punjab leader, Mehr Abdul Sattar, were cast away in Okara for PP-191 for being involved in anti-state activities.

Sattar was summoned by the RO on Friday for scrutiny of his nomination papers. However, the RO put off the matter for Saturday on the request of Okara DSP (Legal) Ghulam Hussain.

On Saturday, the DSP (Legal) informed court that some seven cases had been registered against Mehr Sattar, AMP deputy secretary-general, for instigating people for ‘revolt’ against the state. The DSP replied in the negative when the RO inquired from him that whether he (Sattar) had ever convicted in any case. The police official, however, stressed that his documents should not be accepted for his ‘anti-state role’.

The RO reportedly sought some time to consult the Okara district and sessions judge on the issue. After half-an-hour, he announced the rejection of the nomination papers of Sattar.

A Nazim of union council No 10 of Okara, Sattar had recently resigned to contest the elections on the persuasion of Okara military farm tenants with a view to raise voice for their rights at the assembly floor.

Talking to Dawn, Sattar said he would file an appeal against the rejection of his candidature.

Meanwhile, the AMP held a meeting at Chak 10/4L to chalk out their future strategy in the face of mounting state pressure to force them to withdraw their demand for ownership rights against the lands they had been cultivating for nearly a century.

The meeting decided that if the rangers and police did not end the siege of farms, the families of tenants, including women and children, would stage hunger strike camps and protest rallies.— Correspondent