January 5, 2002	Saturday	Shawwal 20, 1422

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FAISALABAD, Jan 4: All the arrested activists of religious parties were reportedly released by the police after the directions received from the provincial Home Department.

Special police teams arrested over two dozen activists of the Tehrik-i-Jaferia Pakistan, the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan and the Lashkar-i-Taiba during surprise raids on their houses and offices on Thursday. They took the arrested people to unknown places and reported the matter to high ups for further action. But, they were released in the early hours of Friday.

Sources close to the TJP and the SSP leaders claimed that their central leaders approached the Punjab governor and Home Department high-ups and apprised them that arrests were made without any justification. They also claimed that the arrested people were neither involved in any criminal cases nor they violated any government instruction.

A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the SSP and the TJP leaders assured the law enforcement agencies that their workers would not create any law and order situation in the country.

Meanwhile, City SSP president Maulana Habibur Rehman, who was arrested for violating ban on the use of loudspeaker, was also released on bail by a local court.

The Faisalabad Peace Committee and religious parties, in the meantime, postponed their rally planned to protest against arrests.

PROTEST RALLY: A protest rally was taken out by the local religious parties under the aegis of Pak-Afghan Defence Council against what they called wrong foreign policy of the government.

The procession was taken out from local office of the Jamaat-i-Islami. The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with anti-government slogans. They marched on various city roads and terminated at Clock Tower intersection where they were addressed by the council leaders.