FAISALABAD, Oct 22: Hundreds of activists of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal demonstrated here on Friday against the release of three people, who were charged with the murder of Qari Noor Muhammad.

The protesters gathered outside the Jamia Masjid Mubarik on the Dijkot Road immediately after Friday prayers and started chanting slogans. Banners and placards in their hands were inscribed with slogans against police.

Local MMA leaders, while speaking on the occasion, alleged that the police had set the suspects free without any reason. "The police are patronizing the culprits and trying to sweep the issue under the carpet," they added.

They threatened that if the police failed to arrest the suspects within next 48 hours, they would block traffic on several city roads and stage sit-in outside the offices of senior administrative officials.

It may be noted here that last Monday the police had arrested Irfan Gull, Naib Nazim of Union Council No 263, his father Haji Gull Muhammad and Jamia Masjid Mubarik committee treasurer Haji Bashir Ahmad, after rejection of their bail applications by the sessions court. However, the police freed them within hours.

Qari Noor Muhammad was picked up by plainclothesmen on Aug 13 last on the charge of having links with the Al-Qaeda leadership and outlawed militant organizations. He died in police custody after five days of his arrest. A murder case had been registered against unknown persons, but no formal arrest has been made so far.

CUSTOMS: The Customs department collected a sum of Rs82 billion as custom duty during the last financial year of 2003-2004 whereas the target for the current year (2004-2005) has been fixed at Rs104 billion.