KARACHI: 24 alleged extremists detained for 3 months
By Arman Sabir
KARACHI, July 22: Police detained 24 people in the city for three months under section 11-EEE of the fourth schedule of the Anti-terrorism Act for their alleged involvement in fomenting extremism. They were picked up during raids on their houses on July 19 and 20 and produced before a court after registration of cases under section 11-EE(4) of the Anti-terrorism Act. Of the 24 in custody, 22 were ordered released on bail as the court observed that the offence they allegedly committed was bailable.
“We picked up 46 people belonging to different banned sectarian outfits. We sorted them out and registered cases against 24 of them who have been placed in category ‘A’. The remaining 22 have been let off,” city police chief Tariq Jamil told Dawn.
However, the court’s decision to grant them bail confused the police who did not release them. They have been accused of being members of the banned Sipah-i-Mohammad or Sipah-i-Sahaba, and included Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Nadeem, Maulana Allah Wasaya, Maulana Shoaibur Rehman, Syed Taqi Hyder, Syed Zakir Sayedeen and Syed Ali Raza.
Well-placed sources said that the police intended to detain them again, now under section 11-EEE of the fourth schedule of the ATA under which the provincial government could keep a suspect in detention initially for three months, the period being extendable up to one year, without formally charging him.
The sources said that the police had recommended to the Sindh home department to issue an order allowing the police to keep 24 suspects in detention initially for a period of three months. The order was issued accordingly. The action was taken in compliance with the directives from President Pervez Musharraf, they added.
The section 11-EEE reads: “Government if satisfied that with a view to prevent any person whose name is included in the list referred to section 11-EE, it is necessary so to do, may, by order in writing, direct to arrest and detain, in such custody as may be specified, such person for such period as may be specified in the order, and Government if satisfied that for the aforesaid reasons it is necessary so to do, may, extend from time to time the period of such detention for a total period not exceeding twelve months.”
Police sources said that a meeting of all TPOs was convened by the city police chief on Friday. The officers were told to collect previous records and cases of those detained under section 11-EEE of ATA so that their detention could be defended in court.
Tariq Jamil said that the police were trying to take sustainable action in accordance with the law. “We are focusing on sectarian extremism. The people who have been detained had played a role in fomenting sectarian extremism,” he added.
“Action has also been taken against those who had violated the ban on the use of loudspeakers. Besides, some people associated with weekly magazines have been picked up, which is part of the campaign. In all, the police have registered 16 cases under different sections.”
The police chief said that police were monitoring newspapers, magazines and periodicals, and would take stern action against those found involved in spreading hate.
