Doctors tortured, barred from meeting Ramday

LAHORE

SCORES of doctors and members of the civil society — under the banner of Pakistan Medical Association (Punjab and Lahore chapters) — were barred from entering the residence of Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday for paying tributes to him on his bold stand for the supremacy of rule of law and Constitution of Pakistan.

The delegation of doctors and members of the civil society consisted of Prof Dr Yasmin Raashid, Dr Sarwar Chaudhry, Dr Zahid Mohiyuddin, Dr Izhar Chaudhry, Dr Azimuddin Zahid, Dr Saeed Elahi, Begum Abida Gurmani, Saima Khawaja advocate on Friday went to the residence of Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday in GOR-I to present flower bouquets to him. Security personnel, however, did not permit them to enter the house. In the process, a heated argument took place between security men and doctors. Rangers and police personnel misbehaved and manhandled the members of the delegation.

Speaking on the occasion, PMA leaders and doctors condemned the imposition of emergency and proclamation of PCO, and vowed to fully back the movement of lawyers, journalists, students and civil society for rule of law, supremacy of Constitution and the restoration of judges of the superior and higher courts in the country. They also condemned restrictions on media and blockage of private channels. They said that only an independent judiciary and media guaranteed stability and solidarity of the country and added that martial law like emergency was extremely threatening for the solidarity and sovereignty of the country.

They also condemned the crackdown and torture on opposition political parties' workers, lawyers, journalists, human rights activists, students and members of the civil society, and demanded immediate release of the arrested people in the country.

Later, the delegation placed floral bouquets outside the residence of Justice Ramday, paying tribute to him for acting in line with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan and refusing to bow down before a military dictator's attempt to tame the judiciary.