Adil Najam
For those who can read Urdu, the news is from the Urdu Daily Express (December 3, 2006).
It is the story of a Kot Lakhpat prisoner Abdur Razzaq who appeared in court with his lips having been stitched together. He is in jail on a murder charge. Reportedly, he was unable to pay the ‘monthly’ bribe to the jailers because of his sister’s wedding and his ‘punishment’ was to be locked in a blackhole room, possibly beaten up, and then his lips were crudely stitched together!
Just typing this out makes me sick in the stomach. But there is more.
I saw this first at Adnan Siddiqi’s blog yesterday and I must say I have been in utter and absolute shock since then. Just imagining the inhumanity of this has left me numb. So much that I could not get myself to write about it last night.
The newspaper goes on to give more details:
The court has ordered immediate medical checkup of Abdur Rahman and required an enquiry report within 7 days on the incident. Reportedly, the I.G. jails claims that the prisoner, who is a serial criminal having been in the jail earlier for selling drugs and also stealing mobile phones, has conducted this elaborate ‘drama’ because he is in on a murder charge and he did so to create a scene after he was moved to a different cell in the jail.
Once again, the facts are not yet complete. The good news is that at least the court has taken notice and so has the media. If Abdur Razzaq’s story is correct this is a case of police brutality, not of government ineptitude. However, it is in the government’s interests to make sure that proper action is taken and this and such excesses of power are not tolerated.
Another feather on the cap of shame……..
Police must answer the nation. Every police station should have a webcam that stream live images (or video) to a website where “approved” members can log in and watch whats going on. At least it’ll create a psychological pressure & Police will know that the world is watching… We need multiple checkpoints to fight this corrupt so called law enforcement sector.
“I believe that is why many of us ran away and settled in the land of gora.” ——-Moeen Bhatti.
There are two points to be made here.
1)Why many of us ran away?
Mostly economics reasons my friend. Not police brutality. In Pakistan Police in general does not bother law abiding common citizens. Pakistan is not a police state. Just a corrupt state and police is very much part of that system. We all are part of that system. Just look within.
2)In the land of gora!!!
You are if you consider yourself “Kala” first.
Remember you become what you think of yourself and not what others think of you. Respect and dignity comes from within. If you think you are inferior than others, then you are.
shame , sharam karo