Lips sewed up for not paying bribe

Islamabad: Officials of a jail in the Punjab province sewed up an inmate's lips for not paying Rs5,000 (Dh300) as bribe, media reports said.

Abdul Razzak, detained in Kot Lakhpat Central Jail in an attempt-to-murder case for more than three years, had been meeting this monthly demand.

He expressed his inability last month as he had to give money for his daughter's wedding. When he said he could not pay, they beat him up and later sewed up his lips. Razaq submitted an application to the court of Judicial Magistrate Tariq Mehmood Shad in Lahore.

Taking serious notice of the issue, the judge asked the jail superintendent to hold an inquiry and submit a report within seven days. He also ordered Razaq's medical examination.