MQM worker was tortured to death: Doctors

Ajmal Baig had torture marks when Rangers personnel handed him over, say police.

KARACHI: Before the cause of death of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s activist, Ajmal Baig, could have been dragged on amid accusations and lack of evidence, the postmortem report issued on Tuesday confirmed that Baig died due to the injuries he suffered from being tortured.

The victim’s postmortem was carried out at the Karachi Civil Hospital by Dr Farhat Mirza and Dr Qarar Abbasi under the presence of the judicial magistrate.

“When the police brought him (Baig) into the hospital on May 21, he had the same torture marks on his body,” the medico-legal officer, Dr Qarar Abbasi, told The Express Tribune. “I had told the policemen that Baig needed proper treatment but despite his injures, he was sent to jail.”

According to the medical report, the limbs of the deceased were swollen as parts of his body were severely tortured, including legs, hands, back and buttocks. According to the doctors, the deceased was also given electric shocks and could have survived if he had been provided proper treatment.

“Obviously, his internal organs were also damaged due to the extreme torture and lack of treatment. We have sent samples to the laboratory to verify the damages to the internal parts of his body.”

Shifting blame

Officials of the Rangers have refused to comment on Baig’s death. The police, however, have confirmed that Baig, who had torture marks, was handed over to them by the Rangers on May 21. According to senior police officials, Rangers officials handed over Baig to Maripur SHO Shafiq Tanoli - earlier posted as Mochko SHO - as Tanoli used to primarily deal with the detainees of Rangers and other security agencies.

“Mochko SHO Haji Liaquat is not the one calling the shots,” DSP Shafqat Chandio told The Express Tribune. “I am the DSP but even I wasn’t informed about this, I was only told today [Tuesday] about the case.”

Officials also said that Tanoli and MQM have been involved in a dispute after the former’s brother was allegedly shot by the latter’s activists.

“I do not want to comment on these accusations,” said Tanoli when asked about this involvement in the Baig case. “I have no idea who Ajmal Baig was - this is a matter of the Rangers and only they know what happened.”

The family said that they will register the case against officials of the Rangers and police after Baig’s funeral. “My brother was diabetic,” Afzal Baig told The Express Tribune. “The case of possessing illegal weapons was fake and there is no law which allows a person to be brutally tortured.”

The funeral prayers of victim, was offered on II Chundrigar road and he was laid to rest at the graveyard in Golimar.

MQM accuses law enforcers of kidnappings

In his first press conference after coming back into the MQM’s fold two years ago, Amir Khan - now a member of the new Rabita Committee - lashed out against the law enforcement agencies and condemned the abduction of party workers.

“The death of Ajmal Baig is a case of extrajudicial murder,” said Khan while talking about the party activist from the Burns Road Unit who died at the Civil Hospital late Monday night.

According to the MQM, Baig was picked up near a mosque from Railway Colony on May 18 by the Rangers personnel. Days later, his family found his tortured body at the Mochko police station.

Khan accused the police of falsely registering an illegal arms case against Baig, after which he was transferred to the Karachi jail where his condition deteriorated further. “The jail officials did not offer any medical help to Baig and then he was tortured to death.”

The MQM leader alleged that the law enforcement agencies were illegally arresting their party workers. According to him, nine workers of the party had gone missing from different areas in the last few days.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2013.