Briton alleges
torture in Pakistan
A British man alleged yesterday that he, his son and a family friend were tortured in his native Pakistan, urging the British government to push for the younger men's release. Fazal Hussain told a meeting at the Houses of Parliament that he, son Naheem Hussain, 24, and friend Rehan Zaman, 25, were arrested in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir after two members of his extended family were shot dead. He said that police officers whipped the three men's bare feet with canes over a period of two weeks in 2004. The two younger men confessed to the killings under duress, he said. Hussain said he was released from custody in 2004 after he fell ill - and after he agreed to pay £11,000 (BD5,820). The two younger men are still in custody and may face the death penalty. Meanwhile, lawyers said Britain knew about the torture but did nothing to stop it, echoing allegations of official complicity in abuse of terrorism suspects overseas.
Posted by: Fred 2009-03-19 |