July 8th, 2021
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
A local journalist has been released after being badly tortured in police custody in Rahim Yar Khan.
According to local journalists, police officials from the Bhong police station tortured Asghar Ali Jafri after arresting him in a fake case. Asghar Ali Jafri, president of Bhong Press Club, told Voicepk.net that he was released on Wednesday night after police quashed the case against him.
According to police, Jafri was arrested in a nominated FIR registered by a municipal committee official for obstructing an anti-encroachment operation four days ago. However, Jafri said he was falsely nominated in the case. “It was a groundless case as I was not even present at the anti-encroachment operation. I was badly tortured by police officials. My nails were plucked while my right eye’s vision was impaired by the beating,” he said.
Jafri said he was targeted for exposing the corruption of a police official and a sitting member of the provincial assembly from the Pakistan Peoples Party. The journalist said he had lodged a case with the Anti-Corruption Establishment against Assistant Sub Inspector Abid Hussain in June. “ASI Abid, who was the investigation officer in the fake case against me, tortured me during custody,” Jafri said.
Fellow journalists had held a protest camp outside the police station, demanding his medical examination. Jafri was taken to Shaikh Zayed Medical College Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan for medical examination in which the torture was proved. District Police Officer Asad Sarfraz had suspended ASI Abid of the Bhong police station and directed Sadiqabad ASP to conduct an inquiry in this regard.