Doctor, University student arrested for links with militant groups

Lahore: Pakistani intelligence agencies have taken a senior doctor and a Punjab University student into custody for their alleged links with the banned Hizbut Tahrir and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, officials said on Monday.

"Jinnah Hospital's Senior Registrar Dr Abur Rehan has been picked up by the intelligence agencies on suspicion of his links with the HuT (Hizbut Tahrir)," a senior Punjab police official told PTI.

He said Rehan is related to one of the two professors of the University of Punjab (PU), who are already in the custody of intelligence agencies for their alleged links with HuT. "First we got an abduction case registered against unknown persons in the Faisal Town police station. However, later an intelligence agency official told the hospital administration that Dr Rehan is in its custody," Dr Imran Waheed of the Jinnah Hospital said.

He said the agency officials assured the administration that Rehan would be freed if his links with the banned organisation were not established.

In another raid, the intelligence agencies yesterday Arrested Attique Afridi, a student of the PU's Hailey College of Commerce, for his links with the banned TTP.

"Afridi tortured a fellow student over a girl issue last Friday. When he was presented before senior officials of the university, Afridi declared TTP's Nek Mohammad and Baitullah Mehsud as his leaders and vowed to avenge their killings," said retired Maj Saleem, the university's chief security officer.

He said the intelligence agencies are interrogating him. Earlier, Assistant Prof Dr Ghalib Ata and Professor  Dr Ghalib Ata of Institute of Administrative Sciences PU and the varsity's law college student were arrested for their close association with the HuT.

The HuT is against democracy and in favour of establishment of caliphate in the country. It is also accused of running a propaganda campaign against the country's armed forces.