Prank text message lands boy in jail

E-Paper | May 15, 2026

TAXILA: A text message sent by a 17-year-old boy as a joke landed him in jail on Tuesday.

Hasnat Hashmi, a student at a private school, sent a text message to his principal posing to be a terrorist and threatening to blow up the institution. Police managed to trace the sender of the text through mobile data and registered a case against him.

During preliminary interrogation, the boy told police that he had sent the text ‘just for fun’ and was hoping to scare the administration into extending winter vacation.

Police has put him behind bars and charged him with Section 56 of the Criminal Procedure Code and 25D of telegraph act.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2014

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azmat ali

Dec 31, 2014 10:04am

Fun is good, but not on terror!......

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azmat ali

Dec 31, 2014 10:05am

Fun is good but not on terror......... !

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zafar

Dec 31, 2014 10:06am

good job Taxila Police....there is no room for such pathetic jokers in our society!

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Asad Sultan

Dec 31, 2014 10:06am

thats not cute but funny

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Talha

Dec 31, 2014 10:07am

Parents please monitor how your children are using their cell phones.

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Wahaj

Dec 31, 2014 10:18am

aur karo masti

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Ahmad

Dec 31, 2014 10:22am

Boy should be punished for the prank. This is a serious matter and no one should be allowed to use it for fun or for personal interest.

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Izhar Ali

Dec 31, 2014 10:39am

Its good to keep him behind the bars so that his winter vacations are extended. His parents and he himself will learn a lesson who do not realize what condition the nation is facing. I suggest he should be dealt strictly to set an example for others.

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Alam

Dec 31, 2014 10:42am

there should be example for curtailing such a fun

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Muhannad

Dec 31, 2014 10:43am

They should let him go with light punishment like community service......after all he is still just a kid. But no, I think they will torture him in jail and create yet another psycho criminal for rest of society to bear with!

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Asad

Dec 31, 2014 10:47am

Fun is good, but not on terror!.. He must be punished a little for making fun of War Against Terrorism.

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JUSTICE

Dec 31, 2014 11:10am

Don't put him in jail, he is only 17, make him do some community work after school, if he stay in jail longer, he will become criminal.

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Ali

Dec 31, 2014 11:16am

He should be given warning, light community sentence maybe, but not more, as if the authorities and society loses sense and proportionality because of terrorists, then in some way they will have already achieved something.

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Taskin ahmed sefat

Dec 31, 2014 11:22am

Every student loves vacation no exception with the boy. He just wanted to get few more days to enjoy the lifei don't saying what he did is right but he is still immature and thats why shouldn't give him serious punishment. If you do this,he will probably turn himself into a criminal which is not good for pakistan

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FAHEEM

Dec 31, 2014 11:39am

He should be barred from using cell phone and his parents should be fined. MUST do something to create awareness among student about 'difficult outcomes' of such SMS.

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Pahore Muhammad

Dec 31, 2014 11:55am

Good lesson.

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Zahra Farooq Rizvi

Dec 31, 2014 12:04pm

Thanks for reporting so that millions of young people should remain alert!

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Humanity

Dec 31, 2014 12:23pm

This case must be highlighted and given publicity to create deterrence for others to follow. However, the kid should be given some community service for one month and not lockup.

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Confused

Dec 31, 2014 12:23pm

How about doing the exact opposite of what the kid wanted. Suspend all vacations for him for the next two years. Make him clean the roads during break. Sending a kid to prison for this is just stupid.

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Ikram ul Haq

Dec 31, 2014 01:00pm

@Asad Sultan if this be associated with fun then think of the day someone does with you the same!

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Gypsy

Dec 31, 2014 01:19pm

Good job by Police

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Irfan Janjua

Dec 31, 2014 02:01pm

What if he was not jocking but is a real threat!

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Bilal

Dec 31, 2014 02:02pm

I don't justify the prank of the kid, he should be reprimanded and let go. But I am appalled at the LEAs who are quick to nab a 17-year old for prank but don't give heed to hate and terror spewing FB pages, and also apparently it seems that the LEAs don't care about the terrorism plans that take place through phone calls, otherwise we would've seen lot less such incidents.

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hyat

Dec 31, 2014 02:09pm

good job. what about ppls who are sending text mssgs for serious matter from afghanistan pakistan border?

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farhad

Dec 31, 2014 02:33pm

our police if always alerts and vigilant for novices ... the real culprits are at large and planning their menacing next flurry.

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nadia

Dec 31, 2014 02:35pm

We live in the era of the smart phones and stupid people.

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shefali

Dec 31, 2014 02:48pm

He should be made to do community service at hospitals where the terrorism victims are being treated. That should open his eyes about what terrorism really is.

Recommend 0

Dec 31, 2014 03:12pm

What a travesty? The police don't dare to even touch people like Zakiur Rehaman Lakhvi whereas a 17 year old student is imprisoned! Reflects state of affairs.

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Islam = peace

Dec 31, 2014 03:18pm

Typical non serious attitude of Pakistanis.

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Merchant

Dec 31, 2014 03:47pm

Thank you Taxilla police for showing zero tolerance for any form of terror.

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Saad

Dec 31, 2014 03:51pm

He made a joke and he is behind bars.. and those who actually bombing schools are roaming free.. WOW!

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saz

Dec 31, 2014 05:10pm

He just need warning and guidance but should not be kept in jail. It is dangerous. He is just a kid.

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Jason

Dec 31, 2014 06:22pm

This is what happens when irresponsible parents give full freedom to their kids without monitoring their lives. Money can't buy ethics!

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Sahar

Jan 01, 2015 12:49am

I wish our police and judiciary were this fast when it comes to real terrorists. Who very easily communicate even across borders and roam around in the streets mugging people.

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Ammar Ahmed

Jan 01, 2015 03:50am

I'm just curious if a 17 year old boys is deemed as an adult by law ??

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AYZA

Jan 01, 2015 05:10am

This student shouldn't be put in jail, as some others have stated he should have all internet and mobile phone privileges taken away for sixty days and write multiple 1000 word essays as additional assignments while the rest of the students are enjoying break times.

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Adventurer

Jan 01, 2015 03:54pm

Such pranks must be reprimanded but what about real terrorists - why they can't be caught.

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Hussain

Jan 01, 2015 11:23pm

Now everyone will bash this teenage boy.. I agree it's not funny .. but he isn't to be blamed here .. not even his family... we are Pakistanis ... and sadly, this has become a part and parcel of our life ..if anyone is to be blamed here, it's the Government who has let these terrorists influence us ..

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aqsa

Jan 04, 2015 04:51pm

According to me children below the age bracket of 2o should not be given cell phones. If given then should be monitored by parents. Police should be active in punishing such criminals. Because many others are doing this prank on mobile.

Recommend 0

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