BAHAWALPUR: The police withdrew terrorism charges against a Class X student, Iqra Shafiq, and her father, who were booked and arrested, along with eight other persons, including women, by Uch Sharif police on Aug 10, over a fortnight ago.
As per sources, the police removed section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) from the FIR against the father and daughter in the light of an inquiry conducted for the second time into the incident on the orders of DPO Muhammad Hassan Iqbal.
The withdrawal of terror charges came after a campaign run by the district chapter of the Jamaat-i-Islami and the civil society against what they called a fabricated case.
On their demand, the DPO had formed a second inquiry committee headed by Yazman DSP Muhammad Tariq to conduct a fresh probe into the matter. An earlier probe conducted by SSP investigation Syed Jamshed Ahmed Shah had declared Iqra, his father Muhammad Shafiq and nine other suspects, including women guilty.
The probe had justified the inclusion of section 7 of the ATA in the case describing the Uch Sharif police action legal.
The SSP in his report had held Iqra and others responsible for the attack on a raiding police party, in which a police vehicle was also damaged. The police had conducted the raid on the complaint of an influential man over a land dispute.
DPO’s PRO Dr Aamir Nazir told Dawn that the second inquiry conducted by DSP Yazman recommended deletion of the 7-ATA from the FIR against Iqra and her father.
However, he added that the 7-ATA proceedings would be initiated against the other nominated suspects in the case.
JI district emir Nasrullah Khan and others rejected the police’s decision of withdrawing terror charges against only Iqra and her father, reiterating their demand that the other suspects should also be provided this relief.
They sought quashing of the FIR registered by Uch Sharif police, alleging that the SHO implicated the suspects in a fabricated case.
They also demanded suspension of the SHO and other police officials who allegedly acted on the direction of an influential person of the area.
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2025
