CHAKWAL: Seven foreign nationals who were part of a delegation of Tableeghi Jamaat were expelled from Chakwal on Friday morning due to security concerns, Dawn has learnt. The security agencies came into action on Thursday evening when they learnt about seven foreigners staying at a mosque located in the heart of the city.

DPO Kashif Zulfiqar confirmed to Dawn that they were sent back to Lahore as they arrived in Chakwal without informing local administration.The delegation consisting of 14 members was led by Ameer Rasool Shah a resident of Kohistan. Among the fourteen members seven were foreigners.

Sources told Dawn that the delegation had been preaching in Chakwal for the last many days without the notice of the concerned authorities. However, a threat was issued on the third day of Eid in which it was informed that members of Fitna Alkhwarij could operate as preachers and they could collect data of sensitive installationsand also commit terrorism in Punjab.

“As the security agencies received this threat, a search operation was launched across the province. In Chakwal the presence of seven foreign nationals was reported on Thursday evening,” an official told Dawn. As the authorities came to know that seven foreigners were staying at Awaisia Mosque located at Girls College Road, they rushed to the mosque and collected the data of the foreigners.

District Administration ordered them to leave Chakwal immediately but their local hosts requested the administration to let the foreigners spend the night as it was difficult for them to travel during the night. The request was granted and personnel of Chakwal Police remained alert outside the mosque throughout the night for the security of the foreign nationals. However the police escorted the whole delegation to Balkassar Interchange in the morning.

An official told Dawn that the preachers were supposed to stay in Chakwal till March 29 as per their schedule but they were sent back due to security concerns.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2026