UAF graduate tortured in police custody: report

FAISALABAD: A report by a medical board of the District Headquarters Hospital says Sheraz Nawaz, held in a theft case on the complaint of ruling MPA Tahir Jamil, was brutally tortured in Mansoorabad police custody.

The MSc student of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF), was arrested by the Mansoorabad police on Aug 25 in a case under Section 380 of the Pakistan Penal Code lodged by the MPA on Aug 24.

The board conducted the medical examination of Sheraz, son of Dr Haq Nawaz, UAF Graduate Studies director, on the order of a judge on Friday.

The report says bruises were found on the buttocks, face, eye, ear, head and leg.

A medical board doctor said police had repeatedly tortured on Sheraz’s left ear that damaged his tympanic membrane which created hearing issue in the left ear.

Subsequently, Sheraz was referred to ENT experts who also confirmed the membrane rupture and suggested him another check-up after six weeks, he added. There is a bruise below the left eye too. He said the man was tortured on his buttocks.

The family of Sheraz says the youth was arrested in a fake case.

On the direction of City Police Officer Afzaal Kausar, a probe into the case is being conducted by Madina Town SP Malik Jameel.

The medical board’s report attracted a strong reaction from the UAF’s Academic Staff Association (ASA) which condemned torture on Sheraz by “Mansoorabad Station House Officer Saeed Baloch at the behest of the MPA”.

The ASA, in a handout, demanded that the government take note of torture and initiate a joint investigation inquiry into the case.

The ASA executive body met on Monday and said it regretted that Mansoorabad police kept Sheraz in “illogical detention”.

ASA President Amir Saeed said the police first kept Sheraz in illegal detention and later lodged a “false FIR” against Sheraz due to the fear of the bailiff.

The participants said it was the matter of concern that culprits were moving freely even though the medical report had proved worst torture on Sheraz.

They said such incidences spoke volume for lawlessness in the country. They said they would come to roads if the government did not dispense justice to Sheraz family.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

Category: Custodial torture