GILGIT, Oct 15: Security agencies in pre-dawn raids on Saturday arrested eight religious leaders and shifted them to Rawalpindi. The detained clerics and leaders included Shia leader Agha Rahat Al-Husaini, Shaikh Mirza Ali, Shaikh Nayyar Abbas, former NALC member Deedar Ali, Sunni leader Maulana Qazi Nisar arrested in Rawalpindi, Maulana Hussain Ahmad, Maulana Khalil Ahmed and NALC member Himayatullah Khan.

The sources said that the detained clerics and leaders were being shifted to Adiyala Jail after reaching Rawalpindi, but they have been reported stuck in Jaglote, 50 km south of Gilgit.

The security forces did not allow any break in curfew on Saturday and people remained stuck in homes and hotels and again warnings were issued to public not to move outside their homes.

A press note issued by the Northern Areas home department said that the situation in Northern Areas, especially in Gilgit, for the last 18 months had been intermittently worsened and complete normalcy evaded the area mainly due to the uncompromising attitude of Ulema of both the sects. All efforts of the administration to make them realize the gravity of the situation and to come to terms with each other peacefully and to make the jirga, constituted for the purpose, a success bore no fruit.

The worsening situation culminated into the sad incidents of Oct 12 and 13, which resulted in clamping curfew. As Ulema persisted in their efforts to destabilize the area further by declaring jihad for their ulterior motives and inciting people to stand up against the state and were using mosques to spread hatred among the masses. Therefore, the administration was constrained to take necessary legal steps to save the life and property of the masses. Therefore the structures used for inciting violence of both the sects were sealed, under the provision of ATA and 8 people involved from both the sects were taken into custody.