Guilty or not, nationalist Zakir Bozdar returns home
The activist was picked up in May on suspicion of blowing up railway tracks in Ghotki.
SUKKUR:
After five months, Zakir Hussain Bozdar - the Ghotki district general secretary of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) - is back. The nationalist returned home late Tuesday night after he was released in Khairpur by his captors.
The college student was picked up allegedly by paramilitary soldiers while he was taking his examination on May 9. His family, friends and party colleagues had been running a vociferous campaign for his release.
Besides registering a case for his “enforced disappearance”, Zakir’s parents had even filed a constitutional petition in the court but neither police nor any other law enforcement agencies came up to declare his arrest.
The JSMM leader was reportedly picked up by the law enforcers over his alleged involvement in blowing up railway tracks in Ghotki. It seems, however, that he was found innocent and was therefore released.
His elder brother, Riaz Bozdar, who is a schoolteacher, told The Express Tribune that his brother had been receiving threats warning him with dire consequences. On the day when Zakir was picked up, Riaz was standing outside the college while his brother took the first-year paper of Islamic culture.
“Six Rangers came to the college and bundled up Zakir,” he said. “They refused to answer any of my questions and drove away.”
The law enforcers immediately blindfolded him and took him to an undisclosed location where he was locked in a room, said Riaz quoting his brother.
“He was kept blindfolded throughout the period of captivity. The fold was loosened only a bit when he was served meals. The officials used to force him to accept the responsibility of the railway track bomb blasts, but he refused to give in,” Riaz added.
When he was released last night, Zakir was still blindfolded and his hands were tied at the back. He had to scream for help. Listening his cries, people from a nearby brick kiln came to his aid. From the Tando Masti bypass, he boarded a bus to Rohri from where he called home. Riaz immediately took off to Rohri to bring his brother back home. “Zakir is really upset right now. He doesn’t want to talk but will soon hold a press conference when he feels better,” Riaz said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2012.
After five months, Zakir Hussain Bozdar - the Ghotki district general secretary of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) - is back. The nationalist returned home late Tuesday night after he was released in Khairpur by his captors.
The college student was picked up allegedly by paramilitary soldiers while he was taking his examination on May 9. His family, friends and party colleagues had been running a vociferous campaign for his release.
Besides registering a case for his “enforced disappearance”, Zakir’s parents had even filed a constitutional petition in the court but neither police nor any other law enforcement agencies came up to declare his arrest.
The JSMM leader was reportedly picked up by the law enforcers over his alleged involvement in blowing up railway tracks in Ghotki. It seems, however, that he was found innocent and was therefore released.
His elder brother, Riaz Bozdar, who is a schoolteacher, told The Express Tribune that his brother had been receiving threats warning him with dire consequences. On the day when Zakir was picked up, Riaz was standing outside the college while his brother took the first-year paper of Islamic culture.
“Six Rangers came to the college and bundled up Zakir,” he said. “They refused to answer any of my questions and drove away.”
The law enforcers immediately blindfolded him and took him to an undisclosed location where he was locked in a room, said Riaz quoting his brother.
“He was kept blindfolded throughout the period of captivity. The fold was loosened only a bit when he was served meals. The officials used to force him to accept the responsibility of the railway track bomb blasts, but he refused to give in,” Riaz added.
When he was released last night, Zakir was still blindfolded and his hands were tied at the back. He had to scream for help. Listening his cries, people from a nearby brick kiln came to his aid. From the Tando Masti bypass, he boarded a bus to Rohri from where he called home. Riaz immediately took off to Rohri to bring his brother back home. “Zakir is really upset right now. He doesn’t want to talk but will soon hold a press conference when he feels better,” Riaz said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2012.