News Desk |
The appointment of Iftikhar Lund as the focal personal of human rights in Sindh has shocked the civil society and politicians alike, and considering the allegations of sexual abuse leveled against the local PTI leader, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government has come under sharp criticism.
A video is circulating on social media since the past two months, depicting Lund’s elderly employee accusing him of brutally thrashing him, and sexually assaulting him with a metal rod in front of a big crowd.
The notification of Iftikhar Lund’s appointment was released on 10th July, and caused sharp waves of criticism as lawyers, human rights defenders, activists and common people from all walks of life have stepped forward to criticize this decision.
A case has been registered against Iftikhar Lund and his employees who were involved in the assault under sections 324 and 255 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, the Chairman of the Senate panel on Human Rights, has requested a report on the sexual abuse incident from Ghotki Police.
Jibran Nasir, human rights lawyer and activist, questioned the legitimacy of Lund’s appointment as PTI’s focal human rights person in Sindh.
Nasir tweeted, “So far the only qualification Iftikhar Lund seems to have is that he is the President for PTI Ghotki and Ghotki has its by-elections on 18th July. So he qualifies to be focal person on Human Rights despite allegations of torture and abuse against him?”
So far the only qualification Iftikhar Lund seems to have is that he is the President for PTI Ghotki and Ghotki has its by-elections on 18th July. So he qualifies to be focal person on Human Rights despite allegations of torture and abuse against him? @ShireenMazari1 https://t.co/RBOmdZlaKz
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) July 11, 2019
I hope the defence your ministry puts out for appointment of Iftikhar Ahmed Lund as focal person on human rights for Sindh is better and more believable than this fictional character you are talking about. https://t.co/XoLr2nRpAa
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) July 13, 2019
Reports reveal that in April 2019, Iftikhar Lund had savagely beaten up his driver, Allah Rakhio, following a minor disagreement with Shafiq Lund. Rakhio was summoned to Lund’s house, where he was mercilessly thrashed, and a metal rod was inserted into his anal cavity.
اندھیر نگری چوپٹ راج
The man on the right of the Human Right Minister @ShireenMazari1 is #IftikharLund a feudal lord and a PTI leader from #Ghotki Sindh, he has been appointed as focal person for #HumanRights in #Sindh @CoE_HRightsRLaw @HumanRightsCtte pic.twitter.com/v1RGkc81pc
— Iqbal Latif (@ilatif) July 12, 2019
By Shafiq, Rafiq and Mumtaz Ali Lund as feudallord Iftikhar watched the proceedings and action in progress. Allah Rakhio seriously injured and profusely bleeding called Hussain his son who took him to Ghotki to receive stitches to heal the anal wounds.https://t.co/HPMQ3cybZe pic.twitter.com/jB9lnXiFMS
— Iqbal Latif (@ilatif) July 12, 2019
The civil society, journalists and politicians find it hard to believe that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, a party that came forward with a mandate of justice and equality, chose a brutal and merciless feudal lord to fulfill the responsibilities of human rights vigilance in Sindh.
https://twitter.com/MonaAlamm/status/1149474236932640769
Instead of taking any stern action against a local Youthyaa for inserting an iron-rod into a poor driver’s rectum 3 months ago, PM @ImranKhanPTI has appointed Iftikhar Lund as a focal person on human rights issues in Sindh.@BBhuttoZardari @HaleemAdil @HamidMirPAK @murtazawahab1 pic.twitter.com/hKDVUwrM1w
— Khalid Mallah (@KhalidMallah) July 12, 2019
Iftikhar Lund himself came forward to deny the allegations, and claimed that these false allegations are a part of a propagandist campaign to malign him due to his powerful stance against the Pakistan People’s Party’s culture of feudalism.
Speaking to ET, Lund said, “The court disposed of the fake case registered against me as I was not involved in the torture. Some employees working for me were the culprits of the assault, and the issue has been settled. I stand innocent.”
Read more: KU declares sexual harassment complaint against two professors ‘fake’
The alleged tortured occurred after multiple people came to Lund and complained that his employee, who was worked in his passenger van company, had harassed female passengers. Lund registered this complaint, and along with his employees, he beat up the driver, Allah Rakhio.
Reports emerging from Ghotki reveal that the allegations of sexual assault are exaggerated, and Lund and his servants only physically assaulted the driver. A case has been registered against Iftikhar Lund and his employees who were involved in the assault under sections 324 and 255 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Violator of Human rights can't protect the Human rights, There is F.I.R against Iftikhar Ahmed khan on unhuman offence. @iftikhar_lund @PTIofficial @HamidMirPAK @MaryamNSharif @BBhuttoZardari @ShahNafisa @UNHumanRights @HRCP87 @ImranKhanPTI @ShireenMazari1 pic.twitter.com/AQe1NQJ00m
— Adv Shams Chandio (@shamschandio8) July 11, 2019