LAHORE (Staff Report) – The implantation on National Action Plan (NAP) stands exposed as the Punjab Police on Saturday night arrested as many as three journalists including Content Editor Daily Pakistan Global Ihsan Qadir, along 42 others during a so-called search operation at a residential hostel in Race Course area of Lahore.
A police Sub-Inspector, an Assistant Sub-Inspector, a constable, a doctor, a returning officer and five lawyers were also among those detained during the raid.
The police officials had said the ‘suspected terrorists’ were arrested upon not having their identification documents however the detained journalists revealed that they were not only carrying their original CNICs but also the press cards but even then personnel arrested them.
The brutal and unwarranted action of Punjab Police triggered protest outside Race Course Police Station which continued all night.
Later President Lahore Press Club Arshad Ansari reached police station and told officials that they have arrested journalists, not the terrorist in late night raid.
Speaking on the occasion he said all three journalists, Ishan Qadir, Fida Husain and Shoaib Saleem, were members of Lahore Press Club and honorable citizens having no links with any form of terrorism. He termed the action against journalists a worst example of state terrorism.
The police authorities released all 45 people afterwards without further clearly stating the reason behind their arrest and release.
SHO Race Course Police Station Rizwan Latif, who was one of the officials leading the ‘search operation’ refused to make any comment at the incident.
Update: SHO Rizwan Latif and other police officials of Race Course Police station have been suspended following the hoax raid, Punjab Police DIG Operations Haider Ashraf told newsmen.
The incident will be thoroughly probed and those protection of citizens will be ensured at any cost, he said.
