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| May 6, 2006 | Saturday | Rabi-us-Sani 7, 1427 |
MNA alleges HR violations in Adiala Jail
ISLAMABAD, May 5: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Khwaja Saad Rafiq on Friday drew the attention of the National Assembly towards alleged violation of human rights in Adiala Jail and asked human rights organizations to take notice of the situation.
The PML-N MNA, who has been detained in Adiala Jail, moved a privilege motion in the National Assembly asking Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain to refer the motion to the committee as his privilege had been breached because of the mental torture he had to suffer in the jail.
Mr Rafiq said the jail superintendent had claimed that he was carrying out a Jihad while performing his duty. He said the superintendent first recited the Holy Quran, then read out its translation and then started Chhitrol (leather-lashing) of the prisoners.
Mr Rafiq, who was brought to Adiala from the Kot Lakhpat Jail so that he could attend the National Assembly session, said as an elected representative of the people it was his right to raise voice against human rights violations anywhere in the country.
He alleged that the jail staff beat prisoners mercilessly and cries of the wailing prisoners were still echoing in his ears. He alleged that the jail staff was torturing those prisoners who had observed a hunger strike for their rights.
Responding to the points, Minister of State for Interior Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal Warraich said Mr Rafiq had refused to attend the National Assembly session on April 19 and refused to go out of the jail.
He said Mr Rafiq also raised anti-government slogans inside the jail. He opposed the motion moved by the PML-N MNA.
The minister, however, said a committee could be formed to probe the allegations levelled by the MNA regarding torturing of prisoners by the jail staff.
The speaker later reserved his ruling on the motion.
Later, speaking at a news conference at the Parliament House cafeteria, Mr Rafiq with other MNAs of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) said they had been criticizing maltreatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba while the situation in Adiala Jail was also similar.
Mr Rafiq said he had been granted bail in all the six cases instituted against him by the regime, but it seemed that the government had decided to open some old cases or file new ones to keep him under detention.
Speaking on the occasion, PPP MNAs Chaudhry Qamaruz Zaman Kaira and Raja Pervez Ashraf and PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq paid tributes to Mr Rafiq for his sacrifices for democracy.
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