Rumours of terror strike create scare

Rawalpindi

Fear gripped the residents of twin cities when they learnt about the news about firing between police and armed men near Government Viqar-un-Nisa College for Women on Tuesday.

The security guard of the college shot at an alleged car thief at the main gate of the academic institution as he tried to enter the premises leaving the car on the road. 

The college administration pushed the panic alarm, which resulted in multiplying the fear factor among students. At least, six students, fearing a terror attack, fell unconscious. In the state of panic, the students of the college informed their parents on their mobile phones for help, which multiplied anxiety and panic. 

Heavy contingents of police and rangers reached the scene and cordoned off the college, but got nothing apart from two empty bullet shells fired by the college security guard.

The carjacker, however, managed to escape from the scene before police reached the scene.

The regional police officer, while talking to journalists, said that police were chasing a carjacker who lifted a car from Ammar Chowk and reached Tipu Road. He said that police were about to get him when he left the car and tried to enter into the college premises. Police later cleared the college after a thorough search.

On the other hand, the managements of some private schools immediately called parents to pick up their children and closed their institutions. 

Parents, while talking to ‘The News,’ said that they are afraid of terror attacks in educational institutions and as soon as they came to know about the news that firing has been heard near the Government Viqar-un-Nisa College, they rushed to the schools of their children to pick them up. 

Jawad Khan, whose children are studying in a private school, said “I received a call from the school that I should pick them up as soon as possible as they are going to close the school because of the firing incident at Government Viqar-un-Nisa College. So I rushed to the school and picked up my children.” 

Yasir Azeem said when he heard the news about firing incident near the Government Viqar-un-Nisa College, he rushed to the school of his children to pick them up. “The school administration was already aware of the news and they were sending students back to their homes,” he added. 

He said that incidents like Army Public School, Peshawar, and Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, have left a deep impact on the minds of children and parents and the Government Viqar-un-Nisa College incident created a sense of fear among them.