2,240 behind bars for not informing police

Rawalpindi :Under the National Action Plan (NAP), under an ordinance promulgated by the government after the Army Public School (APS) attack in Peshawar in December 2014, it was made obligatory for the owner of a house to register his tenant with the police within 48 hours of renting the accommodation.

Similarly the owners of hotels and inns were also bound to submit the lists of their guests to the police within three hours.

Imran Shah, the official spokesman of CPO told 'The News' that police continued their crackdown against those who did not comply with these orders. As a result 1,490 FIRs were registered in 19 months while magistrates sent 2,240 people to Adiala Jail.

He said that police have already launched an awareness campaign. "We had informed residents through local cable TV channels and mosques to provide details to police," he said.

Some of senior police officials on the condition of anonymity said that there is a lack of coordination amongst the intelligence and law enforcement agencies which puts innocent people into trouble.

Majority of locals appreciated the practice as they felt that this might discourage the Qabza mafia. In other parts of the province, awareness campaigns regarding the submission of particulars of tenants were launched through pamphlets, banners and the cable network.

However, the police in the Rawalpindi city have started a crackdown on the owners of houses and other buildings without initiating any such campaign earlier, said Muhammad Aslam a resident who had rented out one portion of his house.

On the other hand, critics say the government's efforts to curb terrorism should be appreciated but its approach towards the citizens would leave a negative impact because a majority of the residents were unaware of the new law yet.

District Bar Association (DBA), Rawalpindi General Secretary Muhammad Irfan Niazi has strongly appreciated this campaign but he stressed the need of a strong awareness campaign to avoid problems for common citizens. He said that majority of people are uneducated could not understand this law easily so police should launch a strong campaign to tell public about this law. 

Ibrar Hussain a senior citizen said there was a need to launch a vigorous campaign to educate the people either by elected representatives or through banners and the media. The citizens should be given a deadline to submit the details before arresting them.

"I was waiting for a friend so that we could leave for university together. At about 8:45am, the doorbell rang but instead of my friend, I was greeted by an unfriendly policeman who arrested me for a crime I did not commit," said a handcuffed Muhammad Rehan. He was being produced before a judicial magistrate by the Saddar Bairuni Police, as his mother had recently rented out her house to tenants whose details she had not shared with the police station.

Kulsoom Bibi a housewife said that they are living here at Jhanda Chichi in a rented house for 10 years. Some two weeks back, two police officials arrested my husband Talib Hussain in crime that we did not provided details to police station. I went to my owner but he was also handcuffed, she said.

The 'Punjab Information of Temporary Resident Ordinance 2015' of January 8, 2015 requires the owners of houses, hotel inns and guest houses to share details of their tenants and guests with police within 48 hours of renting out their property.

As per clause 11 of the said ordinance which relates to the 'Penalties', the person who fails to provide information to the police officer within the 48 hours deadline would face "imprisonment which may extend to six months and fine which shall not be less than Rs10,000 or more than Rs100,000".   According to the ordinance, not disclosing information to the police about the tenants is a 'non-bailable' offence.