GILGIT: Senior Super­intendent of Police (SSP) of Diamer Roy Ajmal informed a meeting of top officers of the Gilgit-Baltistan police on Friday that out of the 87 suspects taken into custody in the wake of several incidents of torching of schools, mostly of girls, in different parts of Diamer district, 22 had been found involved.

The meeting was held at the police headquarters in GB to discuss the police operation and the progress made by a joint investigation team in probe against the suspects arrested by police after the schools torching incidents, says a press release.

Unidentified people set on fire 14 schools, mostly belonging to girls, in several areas of Diamer in August this year, triggering a massive police operation to arrest the culprits involved in the incidents.

SSP Ajmal informed the meeting that of the 87 suspects, 65 had been released after they were found innocent. He said that 25 cases had so far been registered against the suspects for burning schools in Deral, Tangir and Chilas areas of Diamer.

Mr Ajmal told the meeting that the Diamer police faced an acute shortage of security equipment and lack of transport facilities, badly affecting their performance in tough terrain.

He requested the GB inspector general of police to resolve these issues.

IGP Sanaullah Abbasi, who presided over the meeting, assured the officers problems being faced by the Diamer police would be solved.

He praised the role of the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies and local people for supporting and cooperating with police during the Diamer operation.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2018