TOBA TEK SINGH: Faisalabad’s Tirkhani police registered on Tuesday a case against the Samundri assistant commissioner and his nine accomplices on the charge of kidnapping a man to force him to vacate farmland.

Complainant Rana Nasir Khan of Chak 47-GB, Samundri, alleged in the FIR registered under section 342 of PPC that his late father-in-law Ali Sher was allotted state land on lease in 1973 and its ownership rights were granted to him in 1980.

He said after the death of his father-in-law, the land was transferred to his heirs according to the law but AC Suleman Mansha and members of a ‘land mafia’ came to the village on May 27 and allegedly kidnapped him when he was at work at the farmland. He said they took him to an unknown place, tortured him and threatened if he did not vacate the land he would be killed.

In the meantime, he said, the suspects learnt that villagers were blocking road in protest over his kidnapping, resultantly they dropped him near Tirkhani police station and threatened if he initiated any legal action against them he would not be spared.

The AC claimed he had got vacated unlawfully grabbed land from the complainant and others some two months ago and now they were blackmailing him by getting the FIR registered to take the land back.

PROTEST: Radio Pakistan Faisalabad station employees and pensioners staged on Tuesday a protest demonstration outside the office at D Ground area of People’s Colony over non-payment of their two-month salaries and pension.

Radio station employees union general secretary Kaleemullah told reporters they were facing financial hardships due to non-payment of salaries and pension.

He said Eidul Azha was approaching and they would only be able to observe the festival if the government paid their salaries and pension.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2023