The security forces have arrested at least 53 suspects, including the former chief of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), during the ongoing crackdown against banned organisations in Southern Punjab, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.According to sources, police arrested former SSP chief Tanveer and 19 other suspects of the same outfit from Khanewal. Police also apprehended 20 suspects from Multan, 12 from Vehari, six from Bahawalpur and five suspects from Bahawalnagar, the channel reported.
In a statement issued from Islamabad, SSP chief Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi condemned the arrests, claiming that police had arrested about 170 people belonging to his organisation so far. The crackdown in Southern Punjab was launched to please the US authorities, the channel quoted Ludhianvi as saying.