The aggrieved family said on Sunday that they were not satisfied with the progress in the investigation and were disappointed that the main accused, Jamal Faqeer, was still at large.
DSP Mahmood Gujjar and SP (Investigations) Amir Taimur who are investigating the matter have recovered about 22 grams of gold, Rs1.5 million and some cattle from the possession of Mitha, Rehan, Akbar and the fourth person (whose identity could not be ascertained).
The police have also assured Aslam’s family that they can return to their house in the village. Aslam along his family had moved to Khanpur since the alleged attack. He told The Express Tribune that he was contacted by the police but he would only move back once the assailants had been put behind the bars and his son, Tanvir, recovered from their possession.
Aslam said that Tanvir was detained by the attackers ever since they broke into his house. He said he was worried for his safety. He added that he and his family would stage a sit-in in front the office of the district police officer to urge him to recover his son and arrest all the assailants.
Aslam alleged that the attackers had made away with 44 grams of gold, Rs2.5 million, cattle, a motorcycle and a tractor, besides, illegally taking possession of the land. He said that the incident took place two weeks ago. The police did not show interest in it until it was reported in the Urdu press. He said that the aggressor family had raided the house to terrorise them into forgoing their rights to the land, which he said was allotted to him during former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi’s tenure. The land allotment was part of a scheme launched by the government to grant ownership rights to the landless peasants in Cholistan.
Aslam said the attackers also beat up a police constable posted at Gulshan Fareed police check post. Constable Mian Rasheed said that he had been approached with a complaint that some people were trying to forcibly occupy some land. When he rushed to the scene, he said, he was beaten up by Jamal Faqeer and his men.
Aslam’s wife said that she as well as other women of the family were sexually assaulted by Jamal Faqeer and other men. She said that they were stripped and photographed.
Talking to The Tribune Jamal Faqeer denied that anyone from his family had broken into Aslam’s house or sexually assaulted the women. “We are respectable people and will never stoop so low,” Faqeer said. He, however, maintained that the 12.5 acre land mentioned by the complainant was his property. He said that Aslam had been tilling the land for him, “they were my tenants. Then they started claiming ownership of the land.”
Faqeer said that he was ready to settle the matter. He suggested a local panchayat to decide the dispute but said that he would equally welcome a court verdict in the matter.
Liaqatpur police have registered the case (no805/10) under Sections 395, 364, 337. 186 and 353 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2010.
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