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Sunday, November 17, 2024

Nida Luqman, beaten by PML-N traders is now getting threats; Lahore Police disinterested?

By Zeeshan Mahmood
By Zeeshan Mahmood
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News Desk |

Nida Luqman, the PTI supporter of Dr. Yasmin Rashid, who was ruthlessly assaulted by a PML-N trader, a few days back is now getting threats on phone but Lahore Police remains “busy” in other activities and disinterested.

Nida and her lawyer, Tajjamul Hussain Gondal, spoke to GVS by phone and the details they shared speak volumes about the insensitivity of Lahore police or perhaps its helplessness where Punjab’s ruling elites are involved.

Read more: Real stakes in NA-120: Maryam Nawaz’s future…

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(Orignal complaint by Ms. Nida Luqman)

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(Copies of Medico-Legal Report)

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(Copy of FIR)

Yasmin Rashid had done a detailed press conference in the evening when Nida Luqman was assaulted. Nida spoke at that press conference and gave details of how a certain Abid Mushtaq Chaudhry, (named in her FIR), pulled her from hair dragging her out of her car and threw her on the road; she was then beaten ruthlessly with kicks and fists by three to four men accompanied by Mr. Abid Mushtaq Chaudhry; her clothes were torn, apart from scratches and skin wounds, kicks injured her kidneys and she had been seeking treatment for “blood in the urine”. Abid Mushtaq has been identified later as the General Secretary of the traders union of Mall Road, Hall Road, and Beaden Road, Lahore. This powerful trade union is a traditional political supporter of PML-N and Sharif family. At the time of this assault, Nida was accompanied by her two daughters ages 7 and 8. She is the daughter of Dr. Rehana, former Medical Superintendent of Services Hospital and her husband is a banker.

Abid Mushtaq Chaudhry, (named in her FIR), pulled her from hair dragging her out of her car and threw her on the road; she was then beaten ruthlessly with kicks and fists by three to four men accompanied by Mr. Abid Mushtaq Chaudhry; her clothes were torn, apart from scratches and skin wounds kicks injured her kidneys and she had been seeking treatment for “blood in the urine”.

Police never arrested Abid Mushtaq

Yasmin Rashid had threatened to block Mall Road unless action is taken by Lahore police and Abid Mushtaq is arrested. Police did register FIR but Abid Mushtaq and his accomplices were never arrested. Tajjamul Hussain Gondal, Nida’s lawyer, informed GVS that despite all disturbing facts, as explained to media and open physical abuse of an educated woman on streets of Lahore, police deliberately registered the FIR under Sec. 354 (which is a bailable offense) and not under Sec. 354-A (which is non-bailable). When the issue was hot on media, Mr. Abid Mushtaq disappeared and later he obtained interim bail and now hearing will take place after the elections in NA-120, when the matter would have totally disappeared from media screens and pages, allowing it to be lost in the usual labyrinth of Pakistani courts.

Read more: NA 120 Elections: Test Case for Election…

Threat to Nida to drop charges

Nida Luqman and her lawyer have told GVS that Nida is meanwhile receiving threats from a certain Mr. Naeem Mir who is asking her to withdraw her case against Abid Mushtaq. Naeem Mir called Nida on phone and introduced himself as the Head of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajeran. (All Pakistan Trading Association). He told Nida that she has identified the wrong man, and apparently according to Naeem Mir it was not Abid Mushtaq but someone else who had thrashed her. Naeem Mir then told Nida that instead of pursuing the matter through police she should forward all her documents, evidence and complaints to him and he will investigate and resolve the matter.

Read more: What if Kulsoom Nawaz doesn’t win from NA-120?

Nida Luqman asked Naeem Mir that how he has obtained her phone number and he said that he got it from police records and her FIR. On that Nida told him that since he has access to police records then he should obtain all details from there and not call him. However, according to Nida, Naeem Mir kept calling her but on the advice of her lawyer, Tajjamul Hussain Gondal, she did not pick her subsequent calls. Mr. Gondal, the lawyer, informed the Lahore Police Investigating Officer (IO), Mr. Usman about these calls. However, the lawyer told GVS that police officials are now saying privately that they are busy in election responsibilities and cricket matches and this is not an important matter for them.

Naeem Mir called Nida on phone and introduced himself as the Head of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajeran. (All Pakistan Trading Association). He told Nida that she has identified the wrong man; and apparently according to Naeem Mir it was not Abid Mushtaq but someone else who had thrashed her. Naeem Mir then told Nida that instead of pursuing matter through police she should forward all her documents, evidences and complaints to him and he will investigate and resolve the matter.

Mr. Gondal, the lawyer, further told GVS that Nida’s complaint of harassment at the hands of PML-N muscle men was not the first incident of its kind. Before that he on behalf of PTI filed two applications and meeting took place with Capt. Amin Wayne, CCPO Lahore (Chief City Police Officer) on second such application and CCPO had assured that if it happened again, police will take strict action. On previous occasions, PTI women were threatened of consequences and were told to keep away from certain streets and mohallas of the NA-120 constituency. Assault on Nida Luqman was thus the third reported event. Police despite all this have not been able to do anything. Registration of FIR appears to have been done to reduce media pressure and to buy time to settle the matter, which is the usual way such incidents of harassment and physical abuse against women are settled all across Punjab. Sources in media believe that Lahore police is by and large helpless, since traders of Hall Road are an important political constituency of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Sharif family.

Silence of Human Right Organizations, that often pick up issues of interest to western media is also mysterious. Commentators on social media have often blamed Pakistan’s Right Organizations to be aligned with Punjab’s ruling elite; that may be exaggerated but their silence is surprising.

Attacks against PTI Women not new

Mr. Gondal was also the lawyer for Ms. Uzma Kardar when she filed FIR in May 2016 for assaults against women in PTI Jalsa around Charring Cross, near Wapda House, on May 1, 2016. He told GVS that, Police first kept accusing that attackers were PTI workers, but when PTI persisted with details and facts, police promised investigations; however 16 months have elapsed and Investigating Officer (IO), Mr. Subah Sadiq has made no progress. PTI leaders had always believed that rowdyism was being deliberately created, by PML-N, in PTI rallies and processions by sending troublemakers from outside. Because PML-N believed that PTI processions become colorful due to the large presence of middle class educated women and purpose of creating assaults and groping scenes were to frighten families so that women don’t turn up.

Read more: It is Yasmeen vs Kulsoom in NA-120

These incidents against a woman, taking place in Pakistani cities, not by poor migrants from somewhere but with clear political overtones are a moment of painful reflection for Pakistani media, bureaucracy, judiciary and political parties. Broadly speaking these may also reflect the culture of Punjab where educated, emancipated women without a veil and participating openly in the political process, are considered a threat to social order and thus kosher for ugly treatment. The silence of Human Right Organizations, that often pick up issues of interest to western media is also mysterious. Commentators on social media have often blamed Pakistan’s Right Organizations to be aligned with Punjab’s ruling elite; that may be exaggerated but their silence is surprising.

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