BATHINDA: Pakistan-based Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation chairman Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi has alleged that he was abducted and tortured by three to four unidentified armed men in Lahore on Thursday night and was abandoned near Shahdara after being held for several hours.According to Qureshi, he was on his way home at around 8 pm when three to four unidentified men in a car intercepted him near Jain Mandir in Lahore. He alleged that the men forcibly took him into their vehicle, blindfolded him and subjected him to physical torture, due to which he sustained a head injury.In a release issued on Friday, Qureshi further alleged that during the incident, the men verbally abused him and issued serious threats. According to him, the alleged abductors repeatedly told him: “We will teach you a lesson for working on Bhagat Singh. You are an agent of India, an enemy of Pakistan, and India is providing you funding.”He alleged that the men also threatened to kill him if he did not abandon his work related to Bhagat Singh.Qureshi stated that after keeping him in captivity for several hours, the alleged abductors took him towards Shahdara late at night and abandoned him there before fleeing.He said attempts were being made to intimidate him and force him to abandon his work promoting the ideas associated with Bhagat Singh, peace, humanity, tolerance, and people-to-people relations between Pakistan and India.He categorically declared that he would not retreat from his mission. “We will continue Bhagat Singh’s mission because it is not merely the mission of an individual or an organization. It is a voice for peace, humanity, love and people-to-people friendship. One day, Pakistan and India will achieve peace.”Qureshi also made it clear that he would not leave Pakistan because of threats or intimidation. “I will not leave my country. Even if I have to sacrifice my life, my struggle for peace and humanity will continue.”He called upon the Punjab government in Pakistan, law enforcement agencies and human rights organizations to conduct an immediate, transparent and impartial investigation into the alleged incident, identify and bring those responsible to justice, and ensure effective protection for him and other political and social activists.Qureshi stated: “Bhagat Singh is not merely a chapter in history. He remains a symbol of courage, sacrifice, freedom, peace and humanity. We will continue our struggle to keep his ideals alive and turn the dream of peace and friendship between India and Pakistan into a reality.”
