GUJRANWALA, July 31: Police picked up about 35 Afghan nationality students studying at a madressah here on Saturday, and took them away to an unknown place. Reports said they were studying at the Jamia Muhammadia situated on the Grand Trunk Road.

When contacted DPO Saud Aziz confirmed that the Afghan students, aged between six to 14 years, were taken into custody as they were residing there without any passport, visa and legal documents which were violation of the Immigration Act.

He said that they would be sent back to Afghanistan so that they may obtain their complete documents and return back for their studies.

Meanwhile the madressah administration and religious parties protested against the 'arrest' of the students alleging that the government was acting at the behest of the US to close down madressahs in the country.