Arrested foreigner being grilled

Published March 17, 2007

KOHAT, March 16: A Liberian national, who was arrested while entering the city on Thursday when the chehlum of Hazrat Hazrat Imam Hussain was being held, has been handed over to the Kohat Bureau of Investigation for interrogation.

The Liberian national, known as Mr James, told interrogators that he did not know that Imam Hussain’s chehlum was being held in the city and that he had come here on a routine business visit. However, he could not satisfy men of the Military Intelligence because he did not possess any travelling documents.

He was roaming in a bazaar when arrested. Later, the city police booked him under the Foreign Act.

The Cantonment police also picked up a Persian-speaking Afghan national on Thursday. However, he was released after questioning by intelligence agencies.

Kohat had been sealed off for the chehlum on Thursday and strict security arrangements had been made to ensure peace on the occasion. Afghan refugees’ entry into the city had been banned and they had been confined to their camps.