ISLAMABAD: Flags representing the Afghan Taliban were found hoisted on the rooftop of a seminary located in the heart of the capital.

Talking to Dawn on condition of anonymity, officers of the capital administration and police said four to five white flags of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan were found hoisted on the rooftop of Jamia Hafsa in G-7/3.

The seminary has been under the surveillance of the police for long, they added.

“The flags were spotted after Zuhr prayers and shortly the capital administration and police were informed about it,” they said. In response, the issue was brought under the notice of senior authorities concerned who directed the administration and police to act.

Senior officers of the administration and police reached the seminary and held talks with its administration. Later, the flags were removed before Asr prayers, the officials added.

An officer of the administration said the seminary management told the officers that they had nothing to do with the hoisting of the flags. The issue was inquired and later it was revealed that some students were behind it.

The officials asked the seminary’s administration to remain alert so that such activity was not repeated.

Two senior officers of the capital administration and police said hoisting of any flag was not a crime.

However, hoisting of some flags may spread terror among the citizens. Besides, some flags are also disliked by many people, they added.

The seminary was already under surveillance but after the emergence of the flags, vigilance has further been enhanced.

Two weeks ago, a group of people was spotted with Taliban and Afghanistan’s national flags at Lake View Park.

On Sunday, 10 people carrying Afghanistan’s national flags gathered at F-9 Park and chanted slogans which spread fear among the people present there. The police reached the spot but the group managed to escape.

Later, the police arrested five of them from different areas and recovered Afghan cards from them.

Director Media and SSP (operations) Dr Syed Mustafa Tanweer was approached for comments but he did not reply.

The deputy commissioner of Islamabad in a tweet stated: “Lal Masjid affiliated Jamia Hafsa erected Afghan Taliban Flag on the building. Was removed there and then.”

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2021