Students of Islamic seminary thrash Pak journos for 'drinking water' in Ramazan

An FIR has been registered against the madrasa management with the Margalla police.

Islamabad, Jun 21: Students of an Islamic seminary thrashed a crew of a Pakistani TV channel on Tuesday evening for drinking water during the fasting period in Ramazan in Islamabad, reports said.

The madrasa management claims the journalists were drinking water during the day and that they were initially asked to stop and beaten when they continued to drink water, Dawn reported.

A reporter of the channel, Ali Usman, told the paper that he and five other team members were assigned to interview lawyer Salman Akram Raja who is representing Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz in the Panamagate corruption scandal.

He said one of the cameramen, Rashid Azeem, went into the madrasa which is close to Raja's place and poured water over his head to cool off. Some students asked him why he was drinking water and left when they were told Azeem was pouring the water on his head.

According to Usman, they saw that the madrasa management was stealing electricity and one of the cameramen started recording. He said it instigated the students who started beating Azeem, breaking two of his teeth and snatching his camera. The team continued filming on another camera while students threw stones at the DSNG and took away cash and valuables from the team, he said.

A source in the madrasa said the team members were drinking water in the madrasa when they were allowed to come in as they said they wanted to offer prayers. He said the newsmen started filming later, saying the management was stealing electricity, which was not true. An FIR has been registered against the madrasa management with the Margalla police.

PTI