Plight of Emmanuel Bhatti
 
 

30 years old Emmanuel Bhatti, resident of 219 chak (village) Bahara Shersinghwala Faisalabad, was working as a duty supervisor in WASA (Pakistan Water and Sanitation Agency), Faisalabad. He has four sons and two daughters.  Three of his children goes to school, though the other children are also of the school going age but due to the deficiency of financial resources they are unable to continue their schooling.

Umer Daraz, Assistant Sub Inspector of chak (village) 289, Thana (police station) Mansorabad, Faisalabad was known in the area for his dishonesty and biased attitude against non-Muslims. Umer Daraz and Emmanuel’s son Shahzad was studying in the same school. He often used to complain that Umer Daraz’s son (who was older than him) forcibly take his books and money and also beat him. One day he came with a swollen eye, when asked he told that Umer Draz’s son beat him and also tore his school books. The next day Emmanuel went to the school and complained about him to the headmaster, who scolded the boy. The children used to go to school on bus. When Umer Daraz came to know that his son was scolded for a Christian boy, he went with his son to the bus stop next morning and caught Emmanuel’s son. He made him lie down on the ground and started beating him with his shoes. Somebody informed Emmanuel that Umer Daraz is beating his son. Emmanual and his brother rushed to the bus stop, Umer Daraz was still beating his son when they arrived there. Both Emmanuel and his brother fought with Umer Daraz, he threatened them of dire consequences of this fight. Since Emmanuel, knew his intentions he approached some of Umer Daraz’s friends and asked them to settle the dispute. The matter was settled with Emmanuel’s verbal apology from Umer Daraz, who at that time did not said anything but kept the grudge against him in his heart.

Emmanuel was very active in social work in his area.  The area where Emmanuel lives majority of the residents are Christians.  The police of chak 289, chowki Mansorabad, Faisalabad raided Nadeem Masih’s house, who was the relative of Emmanuel. Nadeem Masih was accused of selling alcohol and drugs, according to his relatives the allegations against him were false, they said that their son was implicated in this case because he refused to give under hand money monthly (fixed amount of money many police official take from people, who sell food or other items by the side of the road on mobile stalls) to the police. Being active in social work, Emmanuel and other relatives went to police station to acquire some information.  The Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Umer Daraz asked for Rs.5, 000/- as a bribe to release him.  Emmanuel paid the amount to him and he promised to release Nadeem but after 13 days he registered a case against Nadeem.  When Emmanuel came to know, he asked Umer Daraz to refund the money, which he refused to give. Emmanuel threatened Umer Daraz to disclose his dishonesty to high officials and went to Superintendent Police Faisalabad.  This made Umer Daraz very annoyed.

To implicate Emmanuel in a false case, Umer Daraz bribed his domestic servant Javed to give an application against him in the Razabad police station, in which he was accused of kidnapping Javed’s elder brother Pervaz and then killing him.

Emmanuel did not knew of this until after Christmas, one of his office clerk informed him that Umer Daraz had filed a case of kidnap and murder against him. Emmanuel gave him Rs.100/- for a copy of the FIR (first information report).

A case was registered in police station Ghulam Mohammedabad against him FIR No: 641/99 dated 25/01/99 under section 364 Pakistan Penal Code. Emmanuel immediately got his bail before arrest from the Sessions Court Faisalabad on 28/01/99.

On 02/02/99 his bail was canceled and he was arrested by the Ghulam Mohammedabad
Police. On 03/02/99 the police produced him before the Magistrate and took his judicial remand for 13 days. After taking his judicial remand The Gulam Mohammedabad police illegally gave him in the custody of Umer Daraz, who at night took him to an isolated barn, he was brutally tortured there, they did not give him anything to drink or eat, they did not let him sleep and forcibly kept him awake, when his condition became serious they brought him to police station. When he got stable the police again took him to another police station in Mochiwala, there also they used different instruments to torture him, they made him drink water and did not let him pass urine, due to which he had a severe kidney pain. He was again shifted to Ghulam Mohammedabad police station; Umer Daraz and other policemen at night took him to a graveyard where they all first hit him with their heavy boots in the stomach and then on his penis. Emmanuel when no longer could bear the pain hit back at Umer Daraz.  Umer Daraz then brought him to the police station and hanged him with the ceiling fan upside down for several days. Emmanuel told that they used to take him down only when he got unconscious and when he used to come in conscious he was again hanged with the fan with his head down wards. They also moved roller over his legs, arms and backbone.  He (Emmanuel) was then made to sit on a chair outside in the cold winter with his hands tied at the back; they then threw ice-cold water on him. His jumper, which he was wearing, got socked in cold water. The whole night he remained outside socked in cold water.  When he was untied in the morning his hands were numbed and were twisted backward and he could not move them, his right leg was fractured and his backbone was dislocated. They threw him in the police lock up.

Meanwhile, his father–in-law went to the office of Deputy Inspector General and recited his story, who ordered for Emmanuel release. On 16/02/99 he was sent to Faisalabad Central Jail. On 05/03/99 he was bailed out from the jail.

Emmanuel was admitted in the local government hospital, he sold his valuable property and house for a very minimal price, all that money was spent on his treatment but he did not get better.

On 29/04/99 he was shifted to Mayo Hospital Lahore in Neurology ward, Room No.1, Bed No. 1, Dr. Ayub, under whose treatment he was at the hospital, when heard his story, he contacted CLAAS office on 17th May1999 and requested CLAAS to help him.

Emmanuel told CLAAS that he was employed in Pakistan WASA (Water and Sanitation Agency) as a duty supervisor.  He said that he had not even had a chance to inform his department what he had gone through, he further said that he does not have any money to continue his treatment in the hospital.

CLAAS filed a writ petition No: 11186/99 on 14/06/99 in the Lahore High Court for the registration of a criminal case against Umer Daraz and other police officials. On 15/06/99 the Lahore High Court gave directions to the Senior Superintendent Police – Faisalabad to investigate the matter and thereafter act accordingly. Emmanuel informed CLAAS that the SSP (senior superintendent police) has not acted on the court orders.  On 08/07/99 CLAAS moved a contempt application No: 902/w/99 Under Article 204 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, with section 3 and 4 of Contempt of Court Act, against the Senior Superintendent Police Faisalabad. The Court has not yet decided on the petition.

At present Emmanuel’s leg and back bone is fine but his arms are paralyzed, he cannot move his hands he always keep his small son with him to feed him to help in the bathroom. His children had left their studies and at present the whole family is dependant on Emmanuel’s in-laws.

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Reported by
M. Joseph Francis
Coordinator CLAAS
10th August 1999