RAWALPINDI: As many as 31 residents of Rawalpindi district have been placed on the fourth schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 for a period of three years.

Of the 31 individuals placed on the watch list, one belonging to Taxila has been missing from his home for more than one year, a police official said. It is not known whether the missing fourth scheduler has left the country or not.

The fourth schedulers are bound to mark their attendance at their concerned police station on a daily basis. They are also bound to submit a surety bond to their concerned police station guaranteeing their peaceful conduct otherwise they can be booked by the police under the relevant section of the ATA.

The Rawalpindi district police have already obtained surety bonds from 30 individuals who were found present at their homes. However, the surety bond could not be obtained from the resident of Taxila who has been missing from his residence.

The names of suspects are usually placed on the watch list for a period of three years, however, the time duration can be extended, if recommended by the intelligence or police.

Out of the 31 individuals, seven belonged to Wah Cantt, four to Taxila, three to Murree, four to Pirwadhai, two to Kotli Sattian, two to Naseerabad, one each to Airport, Chauntra, Civil Lines, Damiyal, Kahuta, Kallar Syedan, Race Course, Rawat, Waris Khan and Rawat.

The Punjab Home Department has directed the police and other concerned agencies to keep a close eye on the fourth schedulers, who were bound to inform the police before leaving their area and were not allowed to enter any sensitive building or attend any such gathering.

A senior police official said that there has been no standard operating procedure (SOP) for placing the name of any individual arrested by the police under ATA on the watch list.

He said that the divisional intelligence committee (DIC) decides whether to place a suspect’s name on the watch list, depending upon the nature of the case and the background of the suspect.

Any individual about whom either there is credible intelligence or information or who has a history of being linked to a proscribed organisation can be proscribed by the Home Department of a province.

After issuance of a notification, the names of such persons are placed on the fourth schedule.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2024