PAKISTAN: A young man was tortured with an electric drill machine; the Chief Minister announces the formation of a medical board after three months of his death

The case of a young man from the province of Punjab exposes the lethargic and arrogant attitude of the government, the doctors and the influence of police.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young man of 29 years was abducted by five police informers kept him for nine days and tortured him with an electric drill (A graphic picture of the victim with his wounds can be viewed here). He died after five months after his ordeal due to the negligence of government hospital authorities who refused to provide treatment even on the recommendation of the chief minister. The local police pressured the hospitals and their officials not to admit him. The persons accused of the abduction and torture remain free in spite of the orders from the highest police officer of the district.

The chief minister secretariat of Punjab province has formed the medical board for his treatment after three months of the death of victim.

CASE NARRATIVE:

Mr. Ali Usman, aged 29, son of Muhammad Aslam Bhatti, resident of Hussainabad, Chiniot, Punjab, was abducted by five men on 9 July 2012. According to the eye witnesses he was abducted on the motor bikes and blind folded. It is said that abductors were known informers of the local police. The victim was kept in a private torture cell on the suspicion of having illicit relationship with the wife of one the accused persons. For nine days he was tortured with an electric drill on his legs and sexual parts to get confessional statement that he had illicit relationship with Mr. Muhammad Yaqoob’s wife.

The victim died of his injuries after five months as police allegedly used all its influence to ensure that he could not get medical treatment. The two government hospitals refused to provide him treatment and at the end he died, lying on the veranda of Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, Punjab province. The secretariat of the chief minister has written a letter to the hospital where the authorities refused to entertain him by saying that they can also write such letters.

The detail of the story of the ordeal faced by the deceased and his family is as follows:

The victim, Ali Usman, was a textile worker at Sadaqat Textile mills and the perpetrators were suspicious of his illicit relationship with the wife of an accused person. He was abducted by Muhammad Yaqoob Machi, Javed alias Gorilla, Mazher Ali Lohna and two unknown persons in the day time from outside Usman's house. Next day, his father Muhammad Aslam tried to file a complaint of abduction at the local police station, the Chiniot City Thana, police officials refused to file a case of abduction. The First Information Report (FIR) was recorded after 35 days of the incident by the intervention of the District Police Officer (DPO), the highest police officer of the district of Chiniot.

After nine days of his disappearance he was dumped at the doorsteps of his house in very critical conditions and unconscious. His whole body was in blood. His father took him to the local police station where police officials again refused to make police report for medical treatment. The father than took his injured victim at 3.30 A.M. to District Head Quarter (DHQ) hospital of Chiniot district where next day doctors provided him first aid and and a blood trransfusion. The next few days he was remained under treatment however doctors said he could not survive further so he must be shifted to another hospital, the Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, 35 kilometer away from his city, for better and modern treatment. The local media published reports on the matter that can be viewed here and here.

At the allied hospital Faisalabad the doctors refused to treat Usman without the permission of the police. After a long discussion the Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital intervened and instructed to treat the victim. He was taken to the emergency unit initially and from there to the Operation Theater. But the Plastic Surgeon was not there, so next day Usman was physically removed from the hospital by the staff. He was again sent to DHQ hospital Chiniot where he was kept for three days and again was discharged without treatment. The police and their informers were always following the victim and used their influence on the hospital authorities. The family members of the victim told the media about the whole story. They were shuttled between DHQ hospital Chiniot and Allied hospital for more than two times. During those visits the Plastic Surgeon of the Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Dr. Zahid Mehmood Rana, once attended him and advised them to keep the victim at home for 12 days and provide good food so that he can have blood in the body. But following the doctor's instructions when they returned the staff refused to admit Usman at the same hospital.

The father of the victim, Mr. Bhatti, then met the deputy commission (DCO) and informed the entire ordeal the DCO called Medical Superintendent of Chiniot hospital and instructed to provide the all best possible treatment. However when victim and his father went to DHQ hospital of the doctors again refused to provide treatment. Bhatti has also written application to Commissioner of Faisalabad who had not taken any notice of the application.

The father took the victim along with him to Lahore on October 15, 2012, which was more than 100 kilometers from his house, to meet the Chief Minister of Punjab province where the secretary to the minister has given one letter in the name of Allied Hospital Faisalabad and instructed on behalf of chief minister to provide the victim with all possible treatment. Bhatti again went to Allied Hospital Faisalabad where he was again refused and doctors told him they they do not believe such persons like chief minister or his staff. He then again went on October 22 Chief Minister House in Lahore where the Secretary shown his apathy by saying what he can do the doctors have to do the treatment. He held a demonstration before the Lahore press club which was covered by media. After several days waiting any help from the government then he again took many people with him and held another demonstration before the Press Club Lahore. This time he was given the live coverage at different TV channels. But nothing has happened.

On December the condition of the victim deteriorated and he was taken to Allied Hospital Faisalabad where after eight hours he died of his wounds in the veranda of the hospital and doctors refused to admit him.

In the month of March 2013, the father received a letter from the Nishter Hospital of Multan asking him and his son to be present before medical board for the enquiry so that victim may be treated. He received the letter after three months of his death the letter was bearing the date of January, according to the directions of the Chief Minister's office.

SUGGESTED ACTION:Please write a letter to the given authorities calling them to initiate a judicial inquiry in to the death of a young by the torture of informers of the police and through the sheer negligence of government hospitals. Please urge them to prosecute the responsible doctors and medical staff for the killing of a young man. Also urge them to provide the compensation and justice to the family members of the victim.

The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteure on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment calling for his intervention into this matter.