Chitral blasphemy case: ex-JI MNA claims police torturing suspects

Abdul Akbar Chitrali demands action against the Chitral DPO within a week

PESHAWAR: A Jamaat-e-Islami leader and former MNA demanded on Monday that the provincial government should suspend the Chitral district police officer (DPO) and launch an inquiry against him for "torturing" the suspects arrested for trying to attack a mentally-ill man accused of committing blasphemy.

Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Abdul Akbar Chitrali said it was a “shameful act” by the police to include terrorism clauses in the FIR against the 20 suspects, who also face charges of attacking the Chitral police station and disturbing the law and order situation.



Chitrali said he had met with the men in custody and the latter had recalled the scenes of how they were tortured following their arrest on April 21. The leader met the suspects in a DI Khan hospital where they were admitted after being injured in a road accident on Sunday while they were being transported to jail.

The JI leader claimed that the suspects were “tortured” by police between April 21 and April 27 while they were in their custody in Chitral before being remanded in judicial custody by an anti-terrorism court (ATC).

The former MNA alleged that Chitral DPO Officer Syed Akbar Ali Shah had abused his powers by registering a terrorism case against the suspects.

“The DPO is promoting sectarianism in Chitral and should be transferred within a week,” he added.



Chitrali warned that if action was not taken against Shah, his party would start a movement for his termination from service. "We have consulted with legal experts and will challenge the FIR which books the suspects under the Anti-Terrorism Act," he remarked.

Chitral has been under Section 144 for more than 10 days now. On April 21, a mob beat up a man, who is believed to be mentally ill, for allegedly committing blasphemy during the Friday sermon inside the Shahi Mosque. The man’s life was spared when the quick-thinking imam called the police and handed him over to them instead.

However, the enraged mob then tried to break into the police station where the man was being held. The situation remained tense and the district administration had to call in security forces to disperse the crowd.



The blasphemy accused was produced before a judicial magistrate on April 22 where he rejected all the allegations levelled against him. The ATC then ordered the formation of a medical board to examine his mental condition and submit a report.

On April 29, the ATC in Swat had sent 20 suspects to various jails on remand on charges of disturbing law and order and trying to break into the police station.

Multiple attempts were made to contact DPO Shah but he could not be reached by the time this report was filed.