LAHORE, Oct 31: The Punjab government has released two students of the Government College University after dropping charges against them under Section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act and 506 of PPC.

This information was extended to Justice Mian Najmuzzaman of the Lahore High Court during the suo motu proceedings in the arrest of the students. A news item published in this daily reported that the students were got arrested by the college administration on the charge of protesting their removal from the college on account of absence.The government also undertook before the judge that no raids would be conducted for the arrest of the students till the verdict of the court. The court, however, summoned the complainant of the case, GCU Registrar Faisal Khursheed, along with the record on Nov 5.

LHC Chief Justice Sayed Zahid Husain took a suo motu notice of the report which said the students were sent to jail by an anti-terrorism court. The chief justice had referred the matter to Justice Mian Najmuzzaman who summoned the New Anarkali SHO along with the record of the case.

Additional Advocate-General Akbar Tarar informed the court that the FIR was registered on the complaint of the GCU registrar and during the investigation two students, Haroon Mahmood and Usman Latif, were arrested. He also informed the court that the ‘competent authority’ had also decided to withdraw Section 7 of ATA and 506 of PPC.

The court adjourned the proceedings when the law officer sought time on account of pending investigation.

The whole affair started when the university administration struck off the names of more than 677 students for absence. The next day, the students held a protest demonstration on Lower Mall against what they called harsh punishment.

The college administration had lodged a case against them under provisions of ATA.