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Afghanistan/South Asia |
Law agencies arrest dozens of militants on wanted list |
2005-07-19 |
LAHORE: The federal government has given a list of 136 most wanted militants to law enforcing agencies with strict directions to arrest them âin a few daysâ. Following the directive, agencies in Punjab arrested dozens of people belonging to militant organisations. In Lahore, police arrested two militants of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi from Mozang on Sunday and confiscated weapons from them. They were identified as Qari Ishaq and Aftab, residents of Chunian, District Kasur. âWhen the police arrested them, they identified themselves as mujahideen. Two pistols were recovered from their possession,â said a source. Pro-jihad slogans âAslah momin ka zaiwar haiâ (Weapons are the ornaments of the faithful) and âJihad zindabadâ (Long live jihad) were engraved on the pistols. The Punjab government has strictly ordered the police to enforce the Loud Speaker Act and not allow any mosque to use their loud speakers except for prayers. The Lahore police registered cases against half a dozen mosque orators on Monday for violating the loudspeaker policy. The detained were Maulna Muhammad Hafeez of Bilal Mosque, Gujjarpura, Goga Shoraywala of Muslim Mosque, Lohari, Qari Ghulam Muhammad of Jamia Mosque, Bhatti Gate, Khalid Hussain, president of Shafiqabad Welfare Society, Qari Ashiq of Jamia Mosque, Farid Kot House Mozang, and the orator of Jamia Mosque, Tigor Park, Naulakha under Section 188 and 3 MPO. Law enforcement agencies also raided the offices and mosques of different militants organisations in Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad on Monday and confiscated their records. Meanwhile, a joint team of intelligence agencies went to the NWFP to interrogate Britain-born Pakistani Zeeshan Siddiqi in Peshawar Jail. Zeeshan was arrested from Shabqadar in May 2005. âThe interrogators are trying to find out if he had links with the London bombers,â said the sources. The interrogators had not found out anything till Monday evening. Quetta correspondent adds: Police arrested three men belonging to a banned religious organisation and more raids were in progress after two major incidents of sectarian violence here, Quetta Rangeâs deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Salman Syed told Daily Times on Monday. Syed said different raiding parties had been formed to raid hideouts of people suspected of being involved in sectarian violence. He said that police expected to make more arrests by morning (Tuesday). He added that security had been increased here and over 1,700 policemen had been sent for this purpose. Multan correspondent adds: Police on Monday arrested over 12 people in a large operation here against people promoting sectarian violence and confiscated hundreds of compact discs (CDs). President Musharraf on July 15 ordered law enforcement agencies to launch a countrywide campaign against extremist organisations and people inciting sectarianism through the sale of books and CDs. âWe took action against those book and audio-video stores that were selling religiously bigotry material and detained several traders,â said Multan DPO Sikandar Hayat. However, he added that no case was registered against the men. The DPO said the operation against sectarian material would continue in all provinces till December 31 and anti-terrorism courts would try the accused. Police also registered a case against three religious leaders, including banned Sipah-e-Sahaba leader Maulana Ali Sher Haideri, for using loudspeakers to incite sectarianism. |
Posted by:Fred |