The families seek IGP Mushtaq Sukhera help for the release of three innocent Chitrali students

Lahore: The families of the arrested Chitrali students sought IGP help for the release of the Chitrali Students who were arrested at about 2am on Tuesday.

According to the relatives of the arrested students, the personnel of Punjab police broke into the private flats situated at Committee Chowk in Rawalpindi and arrested a number of residents, including three Chitrali students, on the reason that they had not registered themselves with the local police station.

The police snatched their CNICs, college ID cards, mobile phones and took them to the Waris Khan police station. Later, an FIR was registered only against the Chitrali students while the others who belonged to Punjab allegedly were set free after a little palm-greasing.

It may be noted that under the National Action Plan, the owner of a house/flat or private hostel is bound to provide the details of the tenants to the nearest police station within three days of renting out the premises.

The next day, the Chitrali students were taken to the local court where they were not given the opportunity to explain their position and sent to the Adiala Jail. The owner of the building who was primarily responsible for documentations has not been arrested for unknown reasons. After enough struggle when the students received the copy of the FIR, it transpired that the FIR contained a misstatement that the students did not produce their CNICs on the demand of the police.

When the students approached the Chitral Students Welfare Organization (CSWO) Rawalpindi/Islamabad chapter, its office-bearers made the lame excuse that “It is beyond our scope.” For three days now the students are still rotting in the crowded Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

The behavior of the Punjab police is not hidden from any knowledgeable person and yet Chitrali students are an easy prey for police harassment as they are easily recognizable as temporary residents due to their fair complexion.