ISLAMABAD: The capital’s police on Thursday refuted reports that it was allegedly profiling and victimising Pakhtuns, saying that such claims were mere ‘propaganda.’

“Pakhtuns are our brothers and dear to us. Brave Pakhtuns are the defenders of dear country and are the pride of the Pakistani nation,” the Islamabad Police declared through its official social media account on X, formerly Twitter.

It said that during the recent law and order situation — a reference to last week’s protest by the PTI — no peaceful Pashtun was detained, adding that legal action had been taken against miscreants and not on the basis on any nationally or region.

“A negative propaganda is being made for nefarious purpose, which is a conspiracy against national integrity,” said the statement, which came a day KP Chief Minister Amin Gandapur wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif complaining about the alleged harassment of Pakhtuns at the hands of Islamabad police.

Besides Mr Gandapur, social media users had highlighted the alleged highhandedness of police, who were said to be stopping Pakhtuns at various security checkposts in Islamabad.

A police official told Dawn that they had replied to a number of such posts on social media, asking users to contact police so that strict legal action could be taken against the officers if the claims are found to be genuine and true.

However, they said that no one had gotten in touch with them so far, with some claiming in social media postings that they were frightened the police would arrest them.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2024