Taliban flags hoisted atop madrassa in Islamabad, police say not a crime: Report

Pakistan has been long accused of covertly supporting the Afghan Taliban financially, militarily, and with intelligence.

Pakistani supporters of the Afghan Taliban hoisted the flag of Islamist fundamentalists on the rooftop of madrassa for women in Islamabad, according to media reports. About four to five white flags of what the Taliban call the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan were found atop Jamia Hafsa madrassa, reported Dawn.

The district administration of Islamabad said the Taliban flags were removed immediately. (Twitter)

The local administration and police said the flags were spotted atop the madrassa after prayers but were removed immediately.

“The flags were spotted after Zuhr prayers and shortly the capital administration and police were informed about it,” Dawn quoted the police as saying.

Pakistan has been long accused of covertly supporting the Taliban militarily, financially, and with intelligence, which Islamabad has repeatedly denied. After the Taliban intensified offensive against the Afghan defence forces, reports emerged that fighters from Pakistan crossed over the border to support the group.

Following the reports of flags atop the madrassa in Islamabad, the office of district administration, headed by Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat, said they were removed immediately. "Was removed there and then," tweeted the office.

According to Dawn, senior officials and police said hoisting any flag in Pakistan was not a crime, adding that some flags, however, may spread terror among citizens. The administration later reportedly said that some students were behind the incident.