RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: The 22 people arrested for violence and attacking a police station after the April 21 Shahi Masjid incident, in district Chitral were released on bail Saturday.

A local court in Chitral released the accused against Rs 100,000 as surety bonds for each of the accused. The court ordered their release after getting assurance from the accused that they would not participate in any kind of rallies and demonstrations nor would take part in protests against the administration.

The accused were arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and several other charges for attacking public and private properties after a mentally despaired man passed blasphemous remarks in the Shahi Masjid who was handed over to the police by the prayer leader as the angry mob attacked.

However, the police did not provide the copies of the FIR registered against them to the press to know under what sections of the ATA the arrested people had been booked. The enraged protesters have also torched the prayer leader’s vehicle.

Police had arrested hundreds of people in the incident. Sources said that majority of the arrested people have been released, however, 22 persons were booked under Anti-Terrorism Act and they were shifted to D. I. Khan jail.

Nevertheless, local political leaders with the help of home ministry removed the anti-terrorism act from the case and shifted them back to Chitral. They were released on two months bail.

Meanwhile, in a statement, former MNA and JI leader from Chitral, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali has extended special gratitude to provincial government and Chief Minister, Pervez Khattak for playing major role in release of the arrested people.

He also thanked on behalf of people of Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister for local government and rural development, Inayatullah Khan, Minister for Finance, Muzzafar Said Advocate, Home Secretary and IGP KP for intervention in the case to ensure immediate release of the arrested people. He said that after the granting bail to 22 arrested people, a wave of happiness and joy spread all over the district Chitral.

Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitali adamant to his demand to give exemplary punishment to Rashid, a mentally despaired man who is said to have passed blasphemous remarks at main Shahi masjid in Chitral during Friday’s congregation. He said there should not be any mercy for him, because, he is a blasphemer.