Violent turn: Eight college students nabbed in Haripur

Arrests made during protest against fines imposed on dress code

HARIPUR: At least eight students of Government Postgraduate College for Boys in Haripur were baton-charged and arrested for blocking the road and throwing stones at policemen on Tuesday. They were released later in the day.

An insider familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune, the arrests were made during a protest on GT Road. “The students had taken to the streets to protest hefty fines imposed by the college administration for violating the dress code,” he said.

A group of angry students decided to boycott their lecture and blocked GT Road to voice their objections over the institute’s policy.

“The flow of traffic remained suspended for several hours,” the insider said. “A long queue of vehicles from Rawalpindi and Abbottabad were stuck in a gridlock.”

He added a police contingent, led by DSP Ishtiaq Khan, reached the site and urged the students to clear the road. “The DSP also asked them to join him to discuss the matter with the principal of the college,” he said. “However, the negotiations failed when the students refused to leave until their fines were waived.”

As a result, the police resorted to baton charge and the students retaliated by throwing stones. No casualties were reported.

The students taken into custody have been identified as Moeen Khan, Malik Awaiz, Jawad Ahmed, Hasan Shah, Zaryab Shah, Naeem, Zohaib Rehman and Hamza Ali. They were produced before a magistrate’s court and were released on  personal surety.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2015.