RAWALPINDI, Feb 17: The government has decided to keep a vigil on the prisoners released from Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, as intelligence reports suggest that some of them are still involved in anti-state activities.

The latest intelligence reports point out flaws in the screening process, as the prisoners who had arrived in Pakistan from Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay were given a clean chit by the Joint Interrogation Teams.

In view of the reports, the federal government has directed the provinces and their law-enforcement agencies to keep a close watch on the activities of those released as well as that of all banned organizations.

The provincial governments have been directed to follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), according to which the ex- prisoners must inform their respective police stations when they leave or return to their areas of residence.

Sources said the police had been directed to follow the SOP regarding the activities of each individual enlisted in category IV of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

The reports have also suggested the government to be vigilant on the controversy regarding omission of religion column from the Machine-Readable Passports (MRP), as religious parties could exploit the issue to create a law and order problem.

The apprehensions of the intelligence agencies are based on reports that the six-party religious alliance would use the issue in their planned protest demonstrations next month.

The religious parties, the reports suggest, could also use the controversy surrounding President Gen Pervez Musharraf's decision to keep dual offices. The intelligence agencies apprehend that Madressahs could be used by the religious parties during their protests in March.

The sources said the participants of a meeting were informed that there were around 5,670 Madressahs in the province, of which only 3,498 were registered. The government, it is learnt, has decided to speed up the process for registration of the 2,172 Madressahs. It was also decided to closely monitor the activities of the religious seminaries through intelligence agencies and district governments.

The situation in South Waziristan and the Wana operation have also been identified as factors which could cause a blow back effect on law and order situation in the country.

The sources said a report indicating that the president's uniform, Wana operation and the passport issue could cause law and order problems was presented to the interior minister recently.

During a meeting on law and order situation, it was acknowledged that the law and order situation in Punjab could not be termed "appreciable" but was only "satisfactory."

The sources said it was also decided to direct the Ulema boards to interact with religious leaders to promote sectarian harmony in the country. A SOP for churches would also be introduced soon.

The sources said the interior minister had stressed the need for continuing political dialogue to improve law and order situation, saying administrative measures always had their limitations.