SUKKUR: Police on Saturday booked 28 prayer leaders and ulema on charges of misusing loudspeakers and making hate speeches during Friday sermons, arrested two people associated with the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and sealed seven madressahs in Sukkur and Badin districts.

In Sukkur, police nominated 17 prayer leaders in FIRs lodged under relevant laws in pursuance of the National Action Plan. Raids were being made for the arrest of Molvi Ameer Ahmed Malik, Maulana Mian Ghulam Nazik Saeedi, Molvi Moula Bux Noon, Allama Syed Fida Hussain Shah, Mufti Yaseen Bandhani, Maulana Abdul Wali Pathan, Maulana Ramzan Nomani, Qari Atif Siddiqi, Molvi Rafiq, Molvi Umar, Molvi Qari Sajid Saeedi, Molvi Hashim Indhar, Molvi Abdullah Junejo, Molvi Ikhtiar Ali Indhar, Molvi Abdul Razzak Mekho, Molvi Gulzar Ahmed Channa and Molvi Pir Bux Barvi, according to police.

BADIN: Police in Badin and its adjoining towns booked late on Friday night 11 prayer leaders and ulema mostly associated with the JUI-F and the ASWJ, arrested two and sealed seven madressahs.

Tando Bago police registered an FIR against Usman Ghani Samoon, local leader of the JUI-F, under Section 295-A of PPC and Loud Speaker Act. Police claimed Mr Samoon used insulting language against different sects from the pulpit.

Golarchi police registered an FIR against Syed Mohammad Shah and two others and arrested Maulana Syed of the ASWJ. Maulana Mohammad Ali Marri of the JUI-F was arrested by Khorwah police on identical charges.

Kadha police lodged an FIR against Maulana Hassan Jamali, Badin police registered FIRs against Maulana Abdul Ghafar Mujeeb Jamali, Abdul Ghafar and Maulana Abdullah Sindhi, provincial vice president of the ASWJ.

Khoski police registered FIRs against three leaders of the ASWJ, Matli police booked ASWJ leader Abdul Sattar Farooqui and Tando Ghulam Ali police lodged an FIR against Maulana Khaleequzzaman. A JUI-F leader Molvi Mir Wali Pathan was booked by Gulab Leghari police on charges of wall chalking.

Meanwhile, Badin police launched a crackdown on Friday and Saturday against unregistered madressahs and sealed seven in Kario Ghanhwar, Khorwah, Behdmi, Khoski, Lakho Pir and Shadi Large areas.

Talking to Dawn on Saturday, Maulana Fateh Mehri, Maulana Khan Mohammad Jamali, Maulana Abdul Wahid Farooqui and others strongly condemned the crackdown on their leaders and madressahs and warned they would stage a strong protest if police did not stop the crackdown, which officials said had been launched against sectarian elements.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2015

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