ABBOTTABAD, July 4: Police have arrested 20 activists of the banned Sipah-i- Sahaba group, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam allegedly involved in attacks on five banks, Nadra office and damaging four ATM machines here on Tuesday night.

The arrested people were booked under the Anti-Terrorist Act.

Abbottabad ASP Athar Waheed told Dawn that most of the arrested people had been charged with leading protesters to attack the Muslim Commercial Bank, Habib Bank, Allied Bank, National Bank, United Bank Limited, Orix Leasing Office and the Nadra office and damaging public property in different parts of the city.

On Tuesday night, a group of people angered over the Lal Masjid standoff had attacked the banks, Nadra office and damaged other public properties.

Soon after Maghrib prayer, activities of some political parties, students of religious organisations and leaders of the banned group took out a procession from the Jamia Masjid and forcefully closed shops in the area. After passing through main bazaars, they blocked the road at the Sarban Chowk and burnt an effigy of President Gen Pervez Musharraf. They also burnt tyres.

Police used teargas and baton-charge to disperse the protesters. The protesters later tried to attack the Cantonment police station, but police fired teargas shells and baton-charged the protesters, injuring at least six.

Those arrested included Mustafa Jadoon, Maulana Afsar Ali Shah, Malik Sajjad, Mohammad Zareen, Ayaz Jadoon, Arif Raz, Maulana Aneesur Rehman, Mohammad Zareen, Mohammad Ishfaq, Mohammad Bilal, Mohammad Saeed, Mohammad Shafi, Bilal, Mohammad Naveed, Mohammad Arif, Ejaz, Idrees, Inyatullah, Mehmoodul Haq and Hakeem Khalid.Meanwhile, Traders’ Federation president Naseer Khan Jadoon filed a complaint with police against Maulana Sardar Habibur Rehman, a brother of provincial minister Sardar Idress, and Maulana Iltafur Rehman for damaging properties of traders.