Over a hundred de-radicalised militants to be freed

PHC directed security agencies to free former militants after ensuring of not getting involved again.

PESHAWAR:

Authorities are preparing to release 132 white category militants (suspects with no charges filed against them) in the near future.

The Peshawar High Court had directed security agencies to release these suspected militants against heavy surety bonds which ensure they do not become involved in such activities again. They are said to have successfully undergone de-radicalisation treatments for three months at different internment centres in the province.

Officials at the home and tribal affairs department told The Express Tribune that 194 suspected militants had been taken to an internment centre in Lakki and another 321 people, arrested from different areas, were currently being de-radicalised at an internment centre in Malakand. They said that around 1,035 people had earlier been taken to the internment centres upon court instructions.

Officials said that a new internment centre had been established in the Drosh area of Chitral. With the induction of the Drosh internment centre, the number of centres established in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has reached seven. The government has also issued a sum of Rs100 million for the provision of better living facilities to people detained at these centres.

Security agencies have been hosting many suspected militants at different internment centres. However, official sources at the home and tribal affairs department revealed that the internment centres were currently running atfull capacity. They added it would be difficult to host most people.

The centres have been established in Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Timergara, Pythom, Malakand and Fizagat apart from the new one in Drosh.

Meanwhile, PHC has asked security agencies to produce those who had been held for crimes before the court.

With an increasing number of petitions being filed against enforced disappearances, the court has been trying to hear the majority of the cases on the same day. The next hearing of such cases will take place on August 16.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2012.