Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the information that Zafar Iqbal, who had been in police custody in connection with a house robbery attempt, has allegedly been tortured to death by the police officers from the Westridge Police Station in Rawalpindi Division. The victim¡¦s body was not yet found. Your urgent action is required to correct this matter.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:
On 30 September 2003, three robbers entered the house of Dr. Rauf on Iqbal Road. One of the robbers, identified as Zafar Iqbal, was overpowered by the family members and neighbors, and handed over to the Westridge Police Station. The other two accomplices however, have escaped.
Since Zafar was handed over to the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Westridge Police Station on September 30, neither was there any First Information Report (FIR) registered against him, nor was he produced before the court. The police claimed that they released Zafar. However, the people believe that he died in police custody after being tortured and his body thrown somewhere.
The Superintendent of the Police (SP), Inayatullah Farooqi, who was identified as a complainant in the FIR lodged against the policemen, said he could not find Zafar Iqbal during his inspection of the police station. He said there was no record of the arrest of the accused in the police station and the SHO concerned also failed to give a satisfactory reply regarding the whereabouts of the man.
Mr. Israr Ahmed, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Rawalpindi Division, had ordered registration of a murder case against the responsible police officers. The FIR No. 454 said: “It is suspected that the body of the man has been vanished after he was killed.” The SHO Westridge police station, Waqar Azeem, and two constable, Abbas, and Naeem, were taken into custody and an FIR registered on charges of abduction and hiding a person under the pretext of killing him. However, AHRC is concerned that this case will also become another failed story of the police¡¦s inaction. The Pakistan government started police reform project “Access to Justice Program” in 2001 funded by the World Bank, but so far the project seems to be failing to reach its objectives.
Two similar cases, in which two suspects were killed in police custody, occurred last month in the same division. However, the police failed to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice. The alleged perpetrators have not yet been punished. AHRC will send you updated information on this case soon.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write a letter or email to the addresses below and express your concern over this serious case. A sample letter is attached.
1. General Pervez Musharraf
President
Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835
Email: CE@pak.gov.pk
2. Mr. Moinuddin Haider
Minister of Interior
Faisal Saleh Hayat, Ministry of Interior,
Block R, Federal Secretariat, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: 92-51-9202624
Email: minister@interior.gov.pk or secretary@interior.gov
3. Mr. Chaudhary Pervez Elahi
Chief Minister of Punjap State
30-C, Ch. Zahur Elahi Road,
Gulberg-II, Lahore
Punjab State
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 42 9200016 / 9200093
4. Zaman Khan
Complaint Cell
National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
Aiwan-i-Jahmoor, 107-Tipu Block
New Garden Town,
Lahore-54600,
PAKISTAN
Telephone: +92 42 583-8341, 586-4994
Fax: +92 42 588-3582
E-mail: zaman@hrcp-web
5. Syed Sultan Shah
Joint Secretary for Law, Justice and Human Rights
Tel: + 92 51 920 3464
Fax: + 92 51 9203119
6. Home Secretary
Government of Punjab
Tel: +92 42 9211734 or 9211735
Fax: +92 42 9211732
7. Mr. Theo C. van Boven
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9016
E-mail: secrt.hchr@unog.ch
