BAJAUR: Hundreds of people staged a demonstration here on Wednesday to condemn the police action against protesting students of the Governor Model School and College on Tuesday, in which two students were injured.

The political and social activists, youths, traders and students of different educational institutions, including Government Postgraduate College, Khar, and Governor Model School and College, Khar, attended the demonstration held at the main Chowk of the Khar Bazaar.

The protesters chanting slogans against the district administration, the police and the management of Governor Model School and College, assailed the police for beating up students seeking fee waiver, which was their constitutional right.

The protest started at about 10am and continued till 2.15pm, disrupting vehicular traffic on the Khar-Mardan Road and shutting the trade and business activities in the bazaar.

JI district chief Sardar Khan, ANP general secretary Nisar Khan Baz, Ameenur Rahman, PTI leaders Dr Hamidur Rahman, Malik Shah Wali Khan, Bajaur Youth Jirga chairman Wajid Ali Shah and students leaders addressed the protest.

They described the action against the innocent students shameful and said use of force against the students was a matter of serious concern for the residents of Bajaur. They said every citizen of the region had the right to hold a peaceful protest to press for their demands.

The speakers also slammed the district police officer and other senior officials for not taking action against the personnel responsible for the incident.

They lamented that neither the DPO nor any other police official visited the hospital to enquire about the wounded students.

They asked the provincial police chief to take notice of the incident and award punishment to those involved in the brutal action against the innocent students.

They also criticised the management of Governor Model School and College for asking the students to pay the fees of six months when the college remained closed due to Covid-19-induced lockdown.

The protest ended when the DPO along with a group of police and district administration officials arrived at the scene and assured them of taking strict action against the erring police personnel.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2020