GUJRAT: Law-enforcement Agencies (LEAs) claim to have arrested some more people including a doctor on the suspicion of having links with the recently captured militants belonging to a network of the outlawed outfits.
Sources told Dawn that the LEAs had picked up a doctor who practices at his private clinic along Bhimbher Road near Qadir Colony on the basis of clues given by the arrested suspects.
The law enforcers are quizzing the arrested men who had been found involved in targeted killings during the last six months of 2013. A senior official of the University of Gujrat, Prof Shabbir Shah, Fazeelat Shah, policeman Sarfraz Ahmad and Dr Ataur Rehman were among the victims.
The sources said the doctor in custody used to preach the importance of waging jihad (holy war). As far as other activists are concerned, it is being suspected that they might have provided logistic support to the militant network.
The police and agencies are working on the legal as well as criminal aspects of the cases of targeted killings to frame charges against the culprits to make prosecution case strong for the trial in the Anti-Terrorism Court of Gujranwala.
Security
A meeting regarding security arrangements at the University of Gujrat (UoG) was held on Wednesday to spread general awareness about security matters among students, faculty and the administration.
District Police Officer Rai Ijaz Ahmad attended the meeting along with UoG Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin. A large number of student representatives along with faculty members participated in the meeting.
The DPO said terrorist activities and extremism had become major issues in Pakistan and it was a chief concern for them in the present scenario to protect educational institutes from becoming a target.
He said universities could help them in this ‘war against terrorism’ by arranging excellent education for students because sound and faithful education was the best weapon to fight on intellectual and ideological fronts.
Mentioning the arrest of murderers of former UoG director Prof Syed Shabbir Husain Shah, he assured the administration of making every possible security arrangement for the safety of the university.
Dr Nizamuddin appreciated the services of the Police Department for arresting the killers and said the UoG would continue its efforts for promotion of knowledge among the masses for a better future for Pakistan.
He said the students and faculty of UoG had shown exemplary patience at the time of murder of Prof Shah and his driver.
He said the UoG was doing an excellent job with educating students and promoting moderate Islamic values among them. He asserted that safety of students, staff and faculty was their principal responsibility and the university would not turn back on this duty.
Media Director Sheikh Abdul Rashid said Pakistan was in a ‘state of war’ right now, both on ideological and intellectual fronts.
He said institutes of higher learning were the backbone of a country and platform for freedom of expression.
He said: “We should always analyse facts before taking action.”