BAHAWALPUR, Aug 31: Sohail Shehzad, who has been languishing in Jaipur jail (India) for the last 22 years, is expected to be released by Sept 30.

Anis Muhammad, the nephew of Shehzad, said that an indication to this effect was given to him by Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid (retired) from India by telephone.

He said that Justice Zahid and two other members of the Pakistan judicial committee, Justice Fazal Karim (retired) and Justice Muhammad Ajmal (retired), visited various jails in India, including the Jaipur jail, to search for the innocent Pakistanis lodged there.

Anis said his uncle apprised the committee members of his ordeal, unlawful detention and the inhuman treatment he was facing at the hands of jail officials.

He said the committee reviewed his uncle’s case and strongly recommended to Indian authorities for his release, adding that Justice Zahid informed him that Sohail Shehzad would be released after the completion of some legal formalities.

Sohail Shehzad, now 52, had been taken into custody by the Indian border force when he had unknowingly crossed the border from Baseerpur (Pakpattan district) on March 25, 1988.

Even after serving his sentence of over twenty two years, he was implicated in several other cases and was lodged in various jails where he was tortured by the Indian jail staff.

CASE: Eight Shia ulema were booked on Sunday for taking out a protest rally under the banner of Millat-i-Jafria here on Saturday.

Police sources said that those booked were Maulana Zikaria, Maulana Iqbal Rizvi, Hassan Ali Zaidi, Maulana Hassan Arif, Iqtidar Shah, Naveed Hashmi, Maulana Amin Mashhadi and Naveed Hashmi. No arrest has so far been made.