At least nine people, including policemen and prisoners, were killed in the attack for which the TTP had claimed responsibility. PHOTO: REUTERS
According to a statement issued from the home and tribal affairs department on Tuesday, the scheme will allow escaped prisoners to return voluntarily within 15 days and surrender themselves into police custody in return for a one-time exemption from arrest and prosecution on escape charges.
Around 300 prisoners, including some hardcore militants, had escaped from the Dera Ismail Khan Central Jail on July 29, after militants carrying heavy weapons stormed the prison. At least nine people, including policemen and prisoners, were killed in the attack for which the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility.
The government notification regarding the amnesty from escape charges reads: “Those who do not surrender upon expiry of the given period shall be arrested and tried (apart from other offences) in case FIR No 554 registered under sections 302, 324, 353, 365, 427, 453, 224A, 225A, 120B, 186, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code along with section 7 of the anti-terrorist act.”
The decision for announcing the amnesty for escaped prisoners has been taken by Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak. However, despite repeated requests, spokesman of the provincial home department Qamar Ali could not be reached for comment.
(Read: Post-mortem of the DI Khan jail attack)
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2013.
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