SAHIWAL, Dec 29: Three police stations on Saturday registered cases against 18 prayer leaders on the charges of delivering ‘provocative’ speeches.

The Harappa, Dera Rahim and Noorshah police sprang into action on receiving information that some prayer leaders were delivering anti-government speeches and demanding resignation of President Pervez Musharraf for failing to maintain law and order.

The Harappa police registered cases against: Maulana Zahid, Qari Abdul Hamid, Qari Noor Hassan, Qari Abdul Hameed, Maulana Abdul Karim, Maulana Muhammad Yaseen, Qari Naseer Ahmad, Qari Muhammad Bashir, Maulana Nawab Ali and Qari Shoaib Husain.

The Dera Rahim police named Maulana Bagh Ali and Qari Muhammad Hanif and the Noorshah police instituted cases against Qari Muhammad Amir, Qari Allah Ditta, Maulana Rustam Ali, Qari Muhammad Yar and Qari Allah Ditta. The police launched raids to arrest the prayer leaders. — Correspondent