SUKKUR: Police and counter-terrorism department (CTD) officials raided two seminaries here on Sunday and detained five suspects, sources close to the security agencies said.

According to the sources, a joint team of the SITE police and CTD officials raided Madressah Mehmoodia, located near Qureshi Goth, and carried out a search of the rooms where printed literature and personal belongings of teachers and students were kept. It was not known whether the raiding team found any objectionable material but four clerics —Maulvi Hakim Ali Brohi, Hafiz Saddam Hussain Brohi, Hafiz Ishaq Ali and Ghulamullah — were taken into custody.

The suspects were taken to an undisclosed place for interrogation, the sources said.

In the other raid, the joint team carried out a search of some rooms in Jamia Khulafa-i-Rashideen and arrested one person, Gulsher Junejo. He was also taken away to an undisclosed place for interrogation.

The Sukkur police, when contacted to seek details of the raids, denied having any knowledge of the arrests and whereabouts of the suspects.

According to sources, the raids were part of the National Action Plan being implemented by the police to curb terrorism. However, it was known that the clerics were taken into custody to prevent them from making provocative speeches that could disturb sectarian harmony during the 8th, 9th and 10th of Muharram.

Published in Dawn October 10th, 2016