CHARSADDA: A jirga of different political parties here on Tuesday demanded of the provincial government to release the ‘innocent’ people arrested in connection with the rioting following the alleged desecration of Holy Quran.

       The jirga was held at the residence of MPA Khalid Khan and attended by leaders of JUI-F, PPP, PTI, ANP and others. The participants demanded the government constitute an independent committee to probe the incident.

       They condemned the arrest of people and registration of FIRs against them, and warned the situation would go out of control if the government did not release them immediately.

       The jirga members claimed that some vested interests were behind the rioting. Riots broke out in Mandani area of Charsadda on Sunday following reports that a person had allegedly torched a copy of Holy Quran in a mosque.

       A police station and several police posts were burnt down by the rioters. The police arrested at least 78 people on charges of damaging the government property.

       Meanwhile, normalcy returned to Mandani area as all government and private educational institutions reopened on Tuesday.

       Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2021