MARDAN: Students of Government Postgraduate College for Boys, Mardan, on Saturday staged a protest demonstration against the torture and arrest of their colleagues by police.

The protest demonstration was led by activists of Muttahida Students Mahaz. The protesters blocked the Bacha Khan chowk to vehicular traffic for several hours, causing a huge traffic jam on roads leading to Malakand, Nowshera and inner parts of Mardan city.

Activists of Pakhtun Students Federation, Islami Jamiat Talba, Insaf Students Federation, Watanpal Students and other organisations took part in the demonstration, raising slogans against the local police for baton charging students and arresting them.

ANP district president Himayat Ullah Mayar, PkSF provincial president Fakhar Alam and IJT city nazim Pervez addressed the protesting students.

Mr Mayar said that police had registered a wrong FIR against students of PkSF after torturing them following a clash among students the other day. He asked the police to quash the FIR and release the arrested students, otherwise, police would be responsible for any consequences.

The IJT city nazim Pervez urged the authorities concerned to reopen the college to save precious time of students.

The protesters dispersed after DIG Mardan region Saeed Khan Wazir directed quashing of FIRs against the students.

It merits a mention here that the college students, after clashing the other day, reconciled thanks to efforts of local elders. After ending their differences, the students from all the organisations took part in the protest demonstration to press the college administration and police to reopen the institute and release the arrested students.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2014