RAWALPINDI: According to a press release, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and Director General (DG) Rangers Major Gen. Bilal Akbar have ordered the investigation into the death of Dr. Farooq Sattar’s coordinator and MQM’s activist Aftab Ahmed, who died in Rangers custody yesterday.
“The army chief has ordered inquiry to find out the truth in the case of Aftab Ahmed. He has instructed to ensure that justice must be done,” said a statement issued by ISPR.
DG Rangers also ordered to set up a fact-finding committee to ascertain the cause of the death of the political worker.
“A high-level investigation committee has been constituted on directives of DG Rangers to ascertain motives behind Aftab Ahmed’s death… Officials possibly involved in the incident have been suspended,” Rangers spokesman said in the press release.
“The committee will be headed by Sector Commander of Rangers,” the spokesman said, adding that the paramilitary force has suspended the suspects involved in the incident.
Aftab Husain, 42, was the coordinator of Dr. Farooq Sattar and was on preventive remand of 90 days. According to Rangers, he was charged with several crimes including extortion and kidnapping.
In a statement submitted to the court explaining the cause of Ahmed’s death, Rangers stated that he was a heart patient. On Monday night, he complained of chest pain and was rushed immediately to the hospital where he died.
After Ahmed’s death, MQM demanded the Army Chief and higher authorities to take notice. Senior leaders of MQM announced ‘peaceful’ mourning over the demise of their activist.
MQM convener Nadeem Nusrat said Aftab Ahmed did not have any kind of heart problem or chest pain. He was brutally tortured in the Rangers custody.
“According to Aftab’s family, he was totally fit and fine before Rangers took him into custody. He did not have any kind of heart problem,” said Nusrat, adding that Ahmed died of Rangers torture.
“If he has the heart problem and rangers knew that, then why Rangers were granted his custody?” said Nusrat.
Denying the post mortem report, Nusrat said the postmortem was conducted in the presence of Rangers and during that process, doctors and other JPMC staff were asked to leave the room so that a fake report could be issued.
“There was undeniable evidence of torture on the body and it could be presented before any court in the world,” Nusrat said.
Aftab Ahmed was arrested by on May 1 in the Federal B Area on suspicion of his involvement in various crimes.
He was produced before an anti-terrorism court which had endorsed his 90-days preventive detention.
