LAHORE: A youth was caught roaming 'in a suspicious way' outside a seminary in Cantonment area on Tuesday.

However, police initially declared 19-year-old Syed Suleman Ali of Swabi mentally sick.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Sami) central spokesman Maulana Asim Makhdoom said the security staff at Jamia Manzoor Islamia Eidgah observed a suspicious young boy near the seminary's main gate and nabbed him.

He said the suspect, who could speak Pashto, Punjabi, English and Urdu, claimed he was a graduate. He initially remained tightlipped, but when pressed by security guards disclosed that he was sent by some people in tribal area for surveillance of the seminary.

Quoting the suspect, Makhdoom said he had been visiting the seminary for the last one week and his accomplices had planned attack on it after a week.

The spokesman urged police to get the suspect examined by a psychiatrist to check his mental health.

Cantonment SP (Operations) Sarfraz Khan Virk said the youth was apparently mentally retarded, but police would wait for his family before taking further action.

He said police contacted Suleman's brother Younas, who is Pakistan Air Force employee and was currently serving at Sargodha base, on phone.

Younus told police that his brother was not mentally fit and he had left home twice without informing the family. The SP said police were still investigating as to how the youth reached the city.