RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has decided to arrest the local leadership of various sects who have been listed as potential trouble makers, and apprehended 15 local clerics on Sunday night.

The decision was taken to avoid sectarian clash as the government has already announced that there would be no change in Chehlum route to be held on December 24.

A senior police official told Dawn that the district administration and police were trying to convince clerics of Madressah Taleemul Quran to either postpone or cancel their two-day conference (December 23 and 24) which would be held in front of the madressah on the Chehlum procession’s route.

“A list of trouble makers has been prepared and more arrests will be made within 24 hours,” the official said.

Another police official revealed that 15 members of religious groups, including those of ASWJ, had been arrested so far.

“Some of them belong to proscribed outfits and their names are being withheld,” he said.

The official said some wanted clerics had gone into hiding following the crackdown.

According to the source, Nasrullah (Khateeb Jamia Masjid Sultan Mohammad) Khurram Colony, Qari Khurram Shahzad (Naib-Khateeb Jamia Masjid Madni Anwar Colony Shakryal) and Qari Mohammad Idrees Haqani (Khateeb Jamia Masjid Rehmania) were among those arrested.

However, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajid Zafar Dall said talks with the clerics had not ended as the provincial government was in contact with ASWJ leaders.

More police were deployed at all Imambargahs in the city, he added.

The police also launched a search operation in the city and 150 people were detained for questioning on Sunday night.

According to the security plan, 6,000 policemen will be deployed on December 24, and 10 companies of Army and Rangers will be called to assist the police. However, the army will remain on call, a senior police official revealed.

Similarly, the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) on Sunday night made arrangements to ensure relief to citizens in case an emergency is imposed following the arrest of the alleged trouble makers.

Giving details of the plan, Additional District Collector General Mohammad Ali Randhawa told Dawn that in case of a curfew, CDGR would establish 10 mobile shops to provide edibles to city areas.

He added that 20 camps would be established along the Chehlum route and 20 shuttle bus services would be run to provide service to the residents.

Meanwhile, as part of their efforts to convince Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman of JUI-F to support them, a delegation of clerics led by Maulana Ashraf Ali (incharge Madressah Taleemul Quran) held a meeting with the JUI-F leader at the Parliament Lodges.

The meeting, which was attended by Maulana Aziz-ur-Rehman Hazarvi, Qari Abdul Rasheed and Senator Talha Mehmood, started at about 4:45pm and continued for an hour and a half on Sunday evening.