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LAHORE, Feb 19: Police rounded up around 150 activists of the MMA and some other religious groups and parties late on Saturday night and early on Sunday to stop them from participating in a rally in Islamabad.
The MMA and its offices, mainly the JI headquarters in Mansoora had been cordoned off by the police and Rangers personnel since Saturday afternoon. Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Husain Ahmad had been put under house arrest at the headquarters.
Police sources said the activists were arrested in various raids conducted in the city. However, cases have not been registered against them.
“We are working on charges to be labelled against the activists. Some of them (the activists) are also wanted in previous cases already registered against them. New cases might be registered against them on charges of attempting to disturb law and order,” a senior police officer said.
Two close relatives of Dr Sarfraz Naeemi, who had given the first strike call on Feb 14 to protest against blasphemous cartoons, were also among the arrested men, the officer said.
The Feb 14 strike resulted in the death of three people and a huge loss to property when protesters turned violent and burnt several buildings and hundreds of vehicles.
Tight security arrangements had been made by the city police to ward off any eventuality with heavy contingents of Pakistan Rangers deputed at all government and foreign installations besides public places and markets.
Heavy police contingents had been deployed at all exit points of the city, especially leading to Islamabad.
SARGODHA: Hundreds of Jamaat-i-Islami activists protested in front of the press club against alleged highhandedness of the district administration.
The speakers, including Dr Arshad Shahid and Malik Mahmood Husain Awan, alleged that the police had sealed all roads leading towards Islamabad and forced thousand of workers to return. They also arrested various leaders.
They warned the government that if the same strategy continued Muslims from all over the country would take to roads as they could not tolerate blasphemy.
Meanwhile, the Sargodha Press Club also condemned the publication of blasphemous cartoons. The office-bearers of the press club announced to stage a token hunger strike on Friday.
In Bhalwal tehsil, a complete shutter-down strike was observed and peaceful demonstration held.
Sources said that JI’s former district head Dr Mubashir was arrested when he was leaving for Islamabad.
SIALKOT: The Uggoki police registered cases against more than 40 people. Uggoki Union Council Nazim Khalid Waseem, Naib Nazim Mian Mohammad Safdar and Markazi Anjuman-i-Tajran (Uggoki) president Rana Mahmood Ahmad had also been booked for violating ban on rallies. It was learnt that some journalists had also been booked.
SAHIWAL: Police arrested two activists of the outlawed Sipah-i-Sahaba. A complete strike was observed in Chichawatni against the publication of caricatures.
