SAHIWAL: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday again granted 14-day judicial remand to six officials of the Counter Terrorism Department of police facing the charges of killing four persons near Qadirabad on Lahore-Multan motorway on Jan 19.

Following the judicial remand granted by the ATC Judge Shabbir Hussain Awan, all the suspects -- sub-inspector Safer Hussain, Nasir Nawaz, Ahsan Khan, Muhammad Raman, Saif Ullah Abid and Husnain Akbar -- were sent to the Sahiwal Central Jail.

Earlier, the suspects were brought to the ATC in high security.

This is the second time the court has granted judicial remand of the six CTD personnel. The 14-day judicial remand granted earlier had ended on Thursday.

On Wednesday, an application was filed with the ATC, demanding medical tests of the suspects.

The application filed by the counsel for the suspects alleged they were being tortured by police on the directions of the joint investigation team (JIT).

However, the application was withdrawn on Thursday.

Sources said the police had yet to complete the challan of the suspects as the JIT did not complete its investigation so far.

Mother day walks: Pakistan is a multi-ethnic and multicultural state providing autonomy to language and cultural rights of all constituent federating units.

Political and civil rights activists said this at a walk marking the International Mother Language Day on Thursday. The walk is the part of a week-long cultural celebrations by different organizations.

The walk started 15 Chowk and ended at Jinnah Chowk where singers, drum beaters and jhoomer artists were present.

Participants were carrying banners and placards wearing orange scarfs around their necks.

Humera Rana, one of the organisers, they had installed 300 steamers carrying slogans regarding the mother language day had been installed in the city.

The walk was attended by the office-bearers of PPP, PML-N and civil rights and professional rights associations.

PML-N’s Rao Nazir Farid said the passage of the 18th Amendment was a historic development which allowed provincial autonomy and the preservation of culture and languages. He said all provinces must celebrate and preserve their cultural identities.

PPP’s Zaki Chaudhry said the politics and philosophy of a strong centre was contrary to the constitutional spirit. He said it was high time to recognise regional languages and culture and that major language like Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Punjabi and Seraiki must be declared national languages of Pakistan along with Urdu. He said Punjabi language had a 700 years old classical heritage which was based on tolerance, mutual respect and self-control.

“No Punjabi sufi poet ever preached hatred and violence in the 700 years literary history of Punjabi,” he added.

Ibrahim Danial from the Gospal Mission said it was the duty of the state to preserve cultural rights as they were basic rights of the people.

Dilber Jani, president of the District Minority Group, urged the Punjabis to speak their own language with their children and families and they should not feel inferior for speaking the language of Bulleh Shah, Baba Farid and Waris Shah. Samiya Khan, Pakistan National Hockey Team member, said creativity and learning can never be done in an alien language and it was the duty of every Pakistani mother to promote their own language.

Participant also passed a resolution demanding that Punjabi children be taught in their own mother tongue.

Also, Punjab Lok Lahar and Sanjh Lok Raj organised a cultural rally in Pakpattan from the press club to the shrine of Baba Faird. Particiants paid tribute to Baba Farid.

The walk was addressed by Masood Khalid, chairman of Sanjh Lok, Prof Majid Ghafoor, Qaswar Mubarik, chairman of the Lok Lahar, Rana Awais and Rana Tariq Aziz. They demanded that Punjabi be made the language of instruction in classrooms.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2019