LAHORE – Anger is brewing against Punjab police as social activists and journalists are raising questions at the arrest of 14-year-old boy Arsalan Naseem, who appeared in trending sections on Twitter.
Over the weekend, journalists and online creators have been sharing different versions of a harrowing incident and blamed cops for the detention of boy amid a massive crackdown after May 9 events.
Posts shared by different activists claimed that Punjab police personnel are trying to re-arrest Arsalan Naseem, despite the accused secured bail from the court.
It was reported that Arsalan Naseem was detained by local police in June this year from Gulberg after he was named in the Askari Tower attack case. He was sent to jail after an identification parade and physical remand.
The prosecution argued that sufficient material was recovered from Arsalan’s mobile phone which proved that he was involved in events of May 9.
On the other hand, Lahore Bar Association President Rana Intezar represented Arslan Naseem in the Anti-Terrorism Court pro bono. Advocate Intezar claimed that his client is a young individual who should be tried in a juvenile court.
He said ATC approved his bail and ordered his release as he was proven to be underage. The lawyer said after his release from jail, instead of going to his home, Arsalan went somewhere else, while police continue to conduct raids at his house and took his father.
The council said Arsalan’s father, who was a cardiac patient, could not survive police highhandedness. He also alleged that cops harassed Arsalan’s sisters.
family of Arslan Naseem, a 14-year-old boy, shared the truth about police brutality and the case details through his family's lawyer Rana Intezar, President Lahore Bar Association. #JusticeforArsalan pic.twitter.com/q8EmVYBGsL
— Rana Intezar (@RanaIntezaradv) August 15, 2023
As the matter become top trend on social media, Lahore Police issued a statement and termed the social media post shared by PTI, as misleading information. It ruled out that Arslana’s father died due to police violence, and called it propaganda, and fabricated story, which is contrary to facts.
Amid the outrage, activists called on National Commission of Human Rights to visit the family of 14 year old and do its own fact-finding about his arrests, release, raids, and allegations of harassment of the family and the death of his father.
