Cops sacked 11 years after trespass, torture

BAHAWALPUR: Two policemen were finally dismissed from service for an offense they had committed 11 years ago as a result of a long drawn legal battle between them and the complainant.

According to District Police Officer (DPO) Sarfraz Ahmed Falki, subinspector Abdul Sattar and assistant sub-inspector Shahid Bajwa trespassed on the house of complainant Syed Ali Iqbal in Muslim Town 11 years ago in connection with a theft case without search warrants.

The two policemen picked the complainant and detained him at Baghdadul Jadid police station, where he was subjected to torture. The policemen also demanded bribe for his release.

On the report of All Iqbal`s brother Ahmed Iqbal, high court recovered the detainee through a bailiff and ordered registration of a case against the both policemen.

Later a civil court handed them down threeyear imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs25,000, each. The district and sessions judge rejected their appeal against the civil court verdict.

However, the high court accepted their plea and they were acquitted of the charges after two years.

During this period they remainedlodgedin jail for a total of 15 months.

Syed Ali Iqbal through his counsel Malik Muhammad Aslam Channar challenged their release by the high court in the Supreme Court, which suspended the highcourt verdict and upheld the conviction of the accused by civil and district and sessions courts.

The police officials also challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court, which dismissed their plea.

Following this, the DPO dismissed the two policemen from service.

EXHIBITION: A twoday exhibition of the paintings by a former banker Khalid Saeed opened at a local restaurant on Saturday.

Mr Saeed, who uses oil water and pencil colours, exhibited about 35 paintings, which reflected the life and culture, particularly of the people of Cholistan, along with their herds of camels and sheep.

A large number of people, including the students of art and design department of the Islamia University (IUB) visited the exhibition and appreciated the theme of the paintings.

IUB history department former chairman Prof Dr Asif Rizvi inaugurated the exhibition.

SCRUTINY: Scrutiny of nomination papers of the 25 candidates for the Cantonment Board, Bahawalpur, completed here on Saturday.

According to Returning Officer Shahid Iqbal, the nomination papers of all candidates were declared valid and correct.

The candidates may withdraw their papers by April 10 while they will be allotted election symbols on April 11. The candidates claiming party affiliation will have to produce their political party`s certificates, otherwise, they will have to contest election independently.

Published in: Dawn