(Publish from Houston Texas USA)
(Mian Iftikhar Ahmad)
Senator Sardar Khalil Tahir Sandhu Hears Concerns During Narcotics Crackdown in Christian Town
Faisalabad: Members of the Christian community have staged strong protests, alleging that under the cover of the Punjab government’s ongoing anti-narcotics crackdown, police have been targeting Christian neighborhoods to meet arrest quotas and show performance, registering alleged bogus cases under sections 9/B and 9/C against liquor permit holders. In response to the complaints, Senator Sardar Khalil Tahir Sandhu set up an open court in Christian Town where a large number of Christian men and women participated and presented their grievances. Community representatives including Lala Rubin Daniel, Pervez Iqbal Bhatti and Malik Abid Advocate alleged that instead of taking action against actual drug dealers, police were protecting influential narcotics traffickers and, through a planned move, registering serious drug cases against helpless individuals in an attempt to defame Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. They stated that the Christian community had played an active political role during elections, yet they were now being unfairly targeted. Referring to former federal minister Rana Sanaullah, they said that he himself had previously faced a heroin case and that if innocent citizens in his own city were now being implicated in cases involving heroin, hashish and ice, the matter should be taken seriously. The speakers also appealed to Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir to take notice of what they described as an attempt to portray Christian localities as hubs of narcotics, warning that such labeling would make the community feel insecure and vulnerable. They expressed concern that excessive use of police powers was becoming unbearable for ordinary citizens.
Addressing the gathering, Senator Sardar Khalil Tahir Sandhu assured participants that he, along with Senator Abid Sher Ali and MPA Mian Tahir Jamil, would raise the issue before the Punjab Chief Minister, the Inspector General of Punjab Police and also in the Senate. He said he had already discussed the matter with the Regional Police Officer Faisalabad and would try to bring senior officials directly before the affected community members. He added that he was aware of the elements allegedly involved in the situation and vowed not to leave the Christian community alone, emphasizing the need for unity and lawful struggle against injustice.
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