ISLAMABAD: The capital police had to apologise for arresting four Chinese nationals on the charge of their involvement in illegal activities after the intervention of the Chinese embassy.

Officials in the police, interior ministry and the Foreign Office on the condition of anonymity told Dawn that the arrests were made on July 26 from F-8/3 and F-8/4 over which the embassy showed displeasure and lodged a complaint with the Foreign Office. In response, the Foreign Office approached the interior ministry and asked it to resolve the issue.

Later, the police were directed by the interior ministry to release the foreigners and also tender apology to them. But by the time these orders reached the police, a case had already been registered against the Chinese nationals. They were produced in a local court from where they were sent to jail.

“The Chinese were arrested on Sunday and shortly afterward they were shifted to the jail on judicial remand,” the police officials said. It took two more days to get them released on bail.

The officials said one of the arrested Chinese nationals was carrying her two-and-a-half-year-old baby who was also shifted to the Margalla police station. The police could neither keep the baby in the lock-up nor shift her to the jail along the mother. On the request of the mother, the baby was handed over to her uncle.

After their release, when the police were asked to apologise to the Chinese nationals, a senior police officer met them and tendered an apology. However, it did not satisfy those who had asked for the apology. Later, two female police officials visited the Chinese at their residences taking bouquets and sweets and apologised for their arrest.

The police were also directed to investigate the matter as the Chinese nationals were arrested mistakenly, the officials added.

In the inquiry conducted twice, the Chinese were found innocent and the police admitted their mistake, the officials said. Later, the interior minister was informed about the findings of the investigation and told that the case would be quashed soon.

“The minister was satisfied with the inquiries and gave the police a go-head to quash the case.”

It may be mentioned that the four Chinese were arrested along with 16 other people during separate raids conducted at F-8/3 and F-8/4.

The release on bail of the foreigners also helped the 16 other people to obtain bail from the court.

When contacted, Liu, a Chinese embassy spokesman, confirmed that the four Chinese were released after the authority concerned was approached.

“The Chinese people are innocent and the arrest was just a mistake and the police have apologised for it,” he added.

FO spokesman Qazi Khalilullah did not comment on the matter.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015

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