PAT Lahore protests police torture of the blind

Hafiz Ghulam Farid, leader of Lahore chapter of PAT, has said that Pakistan is a country of 180 million people and all citizens have equal rights in the country of the Quaid-e-Azam without any discrimination. He said that it is a matter of perpetual shame that terrorism and corruption are ruling the roost in the country due to incompetence of politicians. He said that the whole nation is grieved on torture of the visually impaired persons at the hands of Punjab police. He said that we condemn the police brutality against the blind under the patronage of the so-called Khadim-e-Aala. This incident of maltreatment and baton-charging of special persons should go down in national history as one of the worst incidents.

Hafiz Ghulam Farid expressed these views while addressing a demonstration to protest police torture on the blind in front of the Punjab Assembly yesterday. The demonstration was attended by hundreds of people. They expressed their solidarity with the visually impaired people and chanted slogans against the police brutality.

Hafiz Ghulam Farid said that the repression committed by the Lahore Police on the blind on the International Day of the Disabled is a slap on the face of the rulers who do not tire of drumming up the mantra of good governance and service delivery. He said that there is no one to rein in the Police. He asked the religious and political parties to rise above their expediency and raise an effective voice against this oppression. He said that it is matter of shame that those who are entrusted to protect life and honor of the people have become beast and the biggest violators themselves.

He said that instead of hushing up the matter by suspending a few police officials, the reality of the incident should be laid bare before the nation and those who are actually responsible for this should be meted out exemplary punishment. He said that the incident has hung the head of whole nation into shame, adding that if the rulers have a bit of honor, they should take the responsibility of the heart-rending incident. He said that it has been proven that the ones tortured by police are not blind, the blind are the power-drunk rulers who use police as their personal servant against people demanding their rights.

Mian Iftikhar Ahmad and Razi Ahmad also addressed the protestors.