Free to go?: Release of 19 HuT activists on the cards

Accused were arrested by police on March 29 reportedly on the basis of information from an intelligence agency.

LAHORE: As many as 19 activists of banned outfit Hizbut Tahrir, who have not been interrogated by the police or intelligence agencies even once, may be released soon, sources told The Express Tribune.

The activists have been accused of a number of illegal activities, including mutiny, conspiracy against the state and army, terrorism, inciting hatred, and working for a banned organisation.

The accused were arrested by the police on March 29 reportedly on the basis of information from an intelligence agency.

The contents of the FIR against the accused state that an informer said that a sizeable number of Hizbut Tahrir members had gathered and were hatching a conspiracy against national interest, the sitting government, armed forced, and the judiciary. The informer added that if the police conducted a raid immediately the banned outfit members could be arrest red-handed.

However, while the police managed to arrest all the members in order to fulfil a greater goal – further arrests and busting the entire network – officials have not interrogated any of the arrested even once.

The investigation officer in the case, Inspector Arshad Kahlu, had submitted a charge sheet before the Anti-Terrorism Court on April 11.

So far the police as well as the prosecution department have not filed any revision before the superior judiciary, but the accused have filed a bail petition before the Lahore High Court. This could very well be accepted considering they haven’t been interrogated.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2012.