KARACHI: Police claimed to have arrested two college students for their alleged involvement in carrying out aerial firing on Seaview on Wednesday.

They said that students of different educational institutes gathered at DHA Phase VIII at around 10am, where some students carried out aerial firing with automatic weapons.

The police claimed to have arrested Bilal Akhund and Jabber Khan and registered an FIR at the Sahil police station.

They said that raids were being conducted for the arrest of other suspects.

The police said that there was a strict ban on display of weapons and aerial firing and the students had triggered fear and panic among the people by resorting to firing.

“The police have also contacted the college administration and recommended them to take punitive action against the students,” they added.

DIG-South Syed Asad Raza said that current and former students of famous private colleges in DHA had been arranging a “batch bunk” event for the last 10 years.

He said they had created a WhatsApp group and around 1,000 students were its members.

A case was registered on behalf of state under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 337-H (ii) (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent act), 277 (fouling water of public spring or reservoir) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the FIR, the policemen were performing their duty in the area when they heard the sound of firing at around 10:20am. They rushed to main Abdul Sattar Avenue at Seaview where they saw people wearing uniform of colleges were carrying out aerial firing with automatic weapons.

It said that the police noted number plates of several vehicles and the people present there informed them that they were all students, who managed to escape.

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2024