ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police arrested 420 people for violating Section 144 on Saturday night.

These people were picked from different parts of the federal capital for violating the ban on pillion riding and Section 144 to gather at D-Chowk to take part in the sit-ins organised by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek.

However, despite clear directions from the Islamabad High Court, most of the protesters were not released till Sunday evening. Sources in the police said the violators of Section 144 would be released soon.

The sources said majority of protesters were picked by the Secretariat and Aabpara police while returning after the sit-ins on Saturday night.

Talking to Dawn, Station House Office Koral Inspector Rauf Kiani on Sunday night confirmed that scores of people arrested by the Aabpara and Secretariat police had been shifted to the police station.

In reply to a question, he said producing the arrested people before a magistrate was the responsibility of the police stations concerned.

When asked how the police could detain the people without producing them before the court, he said: “They are being produced before the duty magistrate.”

Meanwhile, a duty office at the Koral police station said 21 people were shifted there by the Secretariat police for damaging public property and stealing streetlights etc.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2014