Police on Sunday sealed a seminary in Karachi's SITE area after its administrator, who has been placed on the Fourth Schedule, was found absent, according to a police document available with Dawn.

The SITE station house officer, along with Assistant Commissioner (AC) West Dr Ghulam Muhammad and police mobiles, visited the seminary after the AC West approached the police station in connection with the sealing of Madressah Al-Kareem Islamic Academy in SITE area, read the document.

"The AC West asked about the presence of Mufti Shakirullah, the seminary mohtamim (administrator), but he was not present there," it said.

Mufti Shakirullah ─ who police suspect of funding the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ─ has been placed on the Fourth Schedule.

According to Section 11EE of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, the Fourth Schedule is to include “any person who is an activist, office-bearer or an associate of an organisation kept under observation … or proscribed … or … affiliated with any group or organisation suspected to be involved in terrorism or sectarianism”.

Being on the Fourth Schedule means the person is kept under observation and must register his attendance with local police regularly.

"As per source report, Mufti Shakirullah is funding TTP and he is also on Fourth Schedule 11 EEE and he is absent," said the document.

The seminary was then sealed by the AC West, who was assisted by police.

Last month, the Sindh police had decided to review the list under the Fourth Schedule after every three months in order to strengthen proactive policing against extremism, ensure stronger surveillance of the suspects placed on the list and for better coordinated intelligence at the police-station level across the province.

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