December 28, 2003	Sunday	Ziqa’ad 4, 1424

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FAISALABAD, Dec 27: A crackdown on Afghan nationals, residing illegally in Pakistan, and workers of banned militant outfits who got training for Jihad during the last 10 years will be launched shortly, it is learnt.

Source told this correspondent on Saturday that the law enforcement agencies had prepared a preliminary list containing names of over 300 known people of banned outfits.

Special teams had been constituted to round up the ‘identified men’ during the next 24 hours besides the people who provided them shelter in Pakistan.

Sources said the crackdown was ordered when investigation agencies found that an Afghan national was involved in the murderous attack on President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The Interior Ministry had also asked the intelligence agencies to gather information about the whereabouts of workers of banned outfits, their financial status, sources of income, visits to major cities of the country and links with Afghan organizations.

Meanwhile, the local police had beefed up security in the city and its rural areas on the instructions of IGP Syed Masud Shah.

Commandoes had been deployed especially outside the branches of foreign banks and establishments, missionary schools, mosques and Imambargahs.