PTI officials rescued from police 'torture cell'

RAWALPINDI:

Acting on the orders of Additional District and Sessions Judge Madam Farhat Jabeen, court bailiffs conducted a raid on a 'torture cell' at the Civil Lines police station and rescued two officials from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday. Notably, neither individual had been registered in any case or previously arrested.

The court has directed that a case be filed against all police officers and the investigating officer involved, citing abuse of power for the unlawful detention of the two PTI officials.

Two days ago, police arrested PTI District Information Secretary Raja Usman Tiger and the District Vice-President of the Insaf Youth Wing from their homes. The activists were subsequently held in a secret torture cell at the police station. Their families filed petitions in court for their release, prompting an immediate response from the Additional Sessions Judge, who dispatched bailiffs to raid the police station.

Upon arrival, the bailiffs seized all records and freed the two detainees from the torture cell. A review of the records revealed that neither individual had a First Information Report (FIR) filed against them, nor had they been formally arrested.

The court bailiffs brought the two detainees before the court, where police officials failed to provide a valid reason for their detention.