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| India-Pakistan |
| 'Good ol' boy' network kicks in for Meerwala rapists... |
| 2002-07-12 |
| Both police and the area feudals have joined hands to manage acquittal of the Meerwala Mastoi clan chief who headed the 'panchayat' that ordered gang-rape of a woman. Faiz Bakhsh Mastoi was being treated like a special guest at the Jatoi police station. SHO Abdul Latif Chandia did not allow to see the chief juror in the lock-up and instead called him to his office. When asked to recall the events, he started a statement in Urdu, though, otherwise he was speaking in Seraiki language. While describing the events, he glanced towards the SHO from time to time to get his approval. So the local coppers have coached him with a story that sounds plausible... He claimed that he was against the gang-rape verdict and when Tattlas brought their daughter before the gathering, he pleaded pardon for her. Faiz Bakhsh claimed that Farid and others rescued the woman and handed her over to her father. He denied that any incident of gang-rape was happened. "Nope. Nuttin' happened. I'm clean. You guys know I'd never do nuttin' like that. Can I go home now?" Later, Abdul Khaliq also joined the interview. "All you have learnt is right," he said in a grim voice adding "this was bound by the fates." At this, Faiz Bakhsh admonished him and asked to tell what had 'actually' happened. Khaliq repeated the events like a parrot in the same order as told by the chief juror. Probably in Urdu, as well, since the story was originally concocted in Urdu... Nazim Nasrullah Jatoi is reportedly making all-out efforts to save Faiz Bakhsh in the wake of the forthcoming general elections for which he will need votes of the Mastoi clan. People said he had recently summoned the witnesses and threatened them not to name Faiz Mastoi as prime abettor in the gang-rape case. Threatening witnesses? No! Never! Basit Sultan, has reportedly initiated channels with Tattlas to forgive Faiz Bakhsh. Basit Sultan's the nazim's political rival. Might as well pick up a few votes that way... Meanwhile, an area outlaw, Muneer Mastoi, has been threatening Tattlas with dire consequences if they do not stop pursuing the case. "Police have provided us guard but we cannot sleep at night because of the threats being given by Muneer who is harboured by Faiz Bakhsh," said Hazoor Bakhsh, the elder brother of the gang-rape victim. So they called in the hard boys with guns, just to make sure... Police had arrested one Fayyaz, the son of Karim Bakhsh, from Dhuni instead of the actual rapist, Fayyaz Mastoi. And on top of it all, the coppers intentionally try to screw up the case so it'll get thrown out. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |