Autopsy report of a 37-year-old man, who died in custody of the Green Town Police, confirmed that the deceased was subjected to severe torture, Pakistan Today has learnt. According to details, Ziaullah, a resident of 42/4-L village located in Okara died on April 27 while he was in custody of the Green Town Police. Police, on day of the incident, silently removed Zia’s body to Jinnah Hospital morgue for autopsy but when Zia’s family came to know about his death, they reached Lahore and protested against the Green Town Police.
As a result, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered registering a case against all policemen involved in killing of the innocent man. Although the Green Town Police registered a case against Incharge Chowki Hamdard Ali Asghar and seven other policemen on complaint of deceased’s brother Muhammad Riaz but not even a single policemen was taken into custody. After around 10 days of the mishap, the Medical Board of Munshi Hospital finally prepared the autopsy report of the deceased which confirmed that Zia was subjected to severe torture by policemen. The report said that due to severe torture, arms, legs and face bones of Zia were found broken during the medical examination.
Sketches of front and backsides of the deceased’s body attached with the autopsy report clearly indicate that more than 30 wounds were present on both sides. Earlier, police said that the autopsy report will decide the fate of the policemen involved in the heinous act but on being contacted Saddar Division (Investigation) Superintendent of Police (SP) Hassan Mushtaq Sukhaira said that investigations are underway and police are collecting other evidences as well. He said that it is premature to identify involvement of policemen adding that the accused policemen have managed pre-arrest bails until May 12 due to which none of them was arrested.
He said that police will present the case in court with maximum evidences and if court cancelled their bail then the policemen will be arrested. Riaz, brother of Ziaullah, said that Zia came to the city along with his brother-in-law Fauji Muhammad Arshad around four days before he was tortured to death by the Green Town Police, to see his friend who was a resident of Bagrian Chowk located in Green Town. He claimed that the Green Town Police arrested his brother, Arshad and their two friends Allah Yar Sindhi and Shabbir under robbery charges.
Riaz said that the Green Town Police subjected them to severe torture, which they also witnessed. He said that a case has been registered but they were receiving threats of dire consequences. Riaz said that different unknown men call them and ask them to settle the case while Arshad, Shabbir and Sindhi are still in custody of police. He said that policemen have threatened to kill Arshad, Shabbir and Sindhi if they did not stop pursuing the case. Riaz said that the accused policemen have contacted brother of Sindhi and threatened him of dire consequences.
He claimed that Punjab Investigation DIG Amlaish Khan held investigation but none of the accused policemen appeared before him. Zia’s brother said that afterwards, the DIG directed the Choong deputy superintendent of police (DSP) to investigate the matter but the accused policemen did not bother appearing before him as well. He said that colleagues of the accused policemen are trying to protect them while they are receiving threats on a regular basis. Riaz said that he had filed a petition in court and is thinking to file another petition against the accused policemen.
