Guilt by association: Journalist harassed by police

DI KHAN: A journalist and his relative were harassed by police on Arbab Road in Peshawar. A staffer of The Express Tribune and his cousin, who sported long hair, cap and beard typical to the people of his native Waziristan, were pulled over by policemen. Both men were asked for their CNICs which stated Waziristan as their address. “Are you from the land of terrorists?” one of the policemen asked. The question led to a quarrel and both were taken to the police station. While confined, the two came across a detained Afghan national who said he had been kept hungry and was even stopped from using the lavatory. He claimed the police allegedly asked for a Rs2,000 bribe to release him which he refused. A recently-distributed pamphlet asked people from the tribal areas to register themselves with the police.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2015.