ISLAMABAD: The administration of Adiala jail in Rawalpindi refused to take hundreds of people arrested during the sit-in due to a lack of space.

The arrested people were produced before area magistrates seeking their judicial remand. After the magistrates issued the orders, the suspects were taken to the Adiala Jail.

“Upon their arrival at the jail, the prison administration refused to keep them there citing the unavailability of space,” a police officer said. Later, the suspects were brought back to Islamabad and sent to the district jails of Gujrat, Attock and Jhelum.

A senior police officer added that during the sit-in over 750 people were picked up. Later, some of them were released and the remaining 609 arrested formally.

“Last night, we got directions to verify and interrogate each and every arrested person and those found innocent should be released,” he said, adding during the process 255 suspects were set free.

“A man was arrested and kept in custody for three days on a suspicion after he came to Blue Area to purchase Umra tickets for himself and his mother on Monday,” he said.

Similarly, over a dozen people riding two vehicles came to Islamabad to visit the Bari Imam Shrine but they were taken into custody while leaving the capital city.

Meanwhile, the Kohsar police booked a number of protesters on the charge of damaging the metro bus station at Jinnah Avenue.

A case was registered against them under section 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code which is a bailable offence, having two years’ imprisonment or a fine or both. Five people identified with their names along with hundreds of others were nominated in the case.

The police said they were examining the CCTV footages to identify those who damaged the public and private property. They said Nadra’s help would be sought to trace the suspects.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2016