Fear mongering; ISIS slogans leave police chasing shadows

Latest incident of graffiti reported in Jogiwara.

PESHAWAR: Walls of the walled city have begun bearing slogans favouring ISIS (Islamic State), with alarming frequency.

Police have been directed to remove all such wall-chalking and track down those responsible. It all began last week when ‘Welcome IS’ was spray-painted on a wall in Sikandarpura, in the jurisdiction of Hashtnagri police.

Soon similar chalking began to appear in adjoining areas of the police station, the most recent being on the wall of a high school in Jogiwara.

Hashtnagri DSP Sahibzada Sajjad claimed that the slogans had already been removed before police inspected the walls. Talking to The Express Tribune, SSP operations Najeebur Rehman confirmed the incident but said that the phenomenon was not widespread.

Rumour has it that it is an attempt to scare religious minorities in the city. The graffiti was carried out during wee hours of the morning and police claim it is impossible to guard all the walls of the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2014.