GUJRAT: Law enforcement agencies have so far arrested around three dozen suspects belonging to various banned groups during a search operation over the last month from across the district

A well-placed source in a law enforcement agency told Dawn the arrests had been made in connection with the killing of seven Shias in Jassoki, murder of a police constable near Jail Chowk, attempt to murder a local Ahmadi leader in Sara-i-Alamgir and some other cases.

Most of the arrested were in the police’s custody, while officials of secret agencies had also interrogated them as some of them were not in the custody of police but a premier law enforcement agency.

Sources revealed Gujrat DPO Ali Nasir Rizvi had also been a target of terrorists since he was chasing culprits behind the recent incidents of terrorism in the district. The secret agencies had warned the DPO about a possible attack on his life following which the official’s personal security had been increased. The number of patrolling vehicles escorting the DPO’s official vehicles had been increased from one to two with well-armed commandos of Elite Force.

Another wall was being built in front of the DPO’s residence with deployment of more policemen on the route between his residence and office. Parking had also been prohibited on that route.

CLUES: Police have found strong leads during investigation of the target killing of Professor Shabeer Husain Shah, a high-ranking official of the University of Gujrat, who had been gunned down along with his driver a few weeks ago.

A reliable source in the local police told Dawn Shah had not been killed on sectarian grounds but because of a grudge by some of his local opponents in Madeena Syedan village and in the university. However, his assassins were said to be from a banned outfit hired by the actual culprits who had not been identified yet, the source claimed.

A senior police official requesting anonymity said the police had traced most of the people involved in the professor’s killing but no arrests had been made so far.

SECURITY: The district administration has requisitioned the deployment of army troops in Gujrat for maintaining law and order during the chehlum of martyrs of Karbla, Christmas and the holy month of Rabiul Awal.

This was revealed at a meeting of the district peace committee with DCO Asif Bilal Lodhi in the chair. DPO Ali Nasir Rizvi, DO (Coordination) Shuja Qutab Bhatti, ADC Farooq Rasheed, PML-N legislators and local clerics from various sects also attended the meeting to review security arrangements.

The DCO told the participants four companies of Pakistan Army had been requisitioned for deployment in Gujrat. He said although the administration had confidence in the capabilities of local police, the army had been called in to assist police to maintain law and order.

He directed all departments concerned and officials to pay salaries of their Christian workers before Dec 24 in the wake of Christmas and warned against any cut in their pay. The participants also prayed for Allama Nasir Abbas, a Shia cleric assassinated in Lahore two days ago.