Protest for release of a student held

F.P Report

PESHAWAR: Lashing out at political administration of South Waziristan Agency, the office bearers of students’ organization asked the authorities concerned to instantly release the student of University of Peshawar being held under the collective territorial responsibility act of Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) some five months ago.

A number of Waziristan Students Society members including Malik Anwar, Hashim Dawar, Muhammad Zubair, Riyaz Khan, Raheem Dawar and others assembled in front of Peshawar press club on Sunday and protested against the political administration of SWA. Protestors chanted full throat slogans against administration and holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favor of their demands.

While sharing details regarding an illegal arrest of a student, speakers on the occasion said that officials of political administration SWA had detained Jalal Wazir, a student of final year of Pakistan Study Department UoP, in a local dispute under collective responsibility act of FCR. The said tribe had paid the fine of Rs 06 million imposed by administration and it (administration) released around 50 tribesmen after that but did not set free only Jalal Wazir due to some unknown reasons, they added.

They stated they had submitted all credentials of detained student with political administration and informing it that his career and future is at stake if he was not release on time. Though, the arrested student was not released despite all endeavors and requests to administration officials for his early release, they added.

The illegal captivity of a student will certainly have bad impact on career and future of him as he is not directly involved in any sort of crime but taken into custody in tribe’s dispute. They also came hard on Frontier Crimes Regulation, a colonial oppressive law imposed in tribal areas since 1901, saying it is being used against them sine long aimed at pressurizing tribesmen.

They asked Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Additional Chief Secretary Fata and Political Agent SWA, to ensue early release of student otherwise they would extend the process of demonstrations towards South Waziristan, Peshawar and Islamabad and would block all main routes to compel authorities.