ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: The government on Thursday detained chief of Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman as part of its crackdown on militants before tomorrow’s strike.

The JUI sources said Maulana Fazlur Rehman was removed from his home, where he was under house arrest, on Wednesday by police to a government rest house.

“He was taken away from his house on Wednesday because authorities said he continued to make statements against the government despite being under house arrest,” a party official from Peshawar said.

“We have no contact with him now,” Abdul Jalil Jan said.

There was no immediate comment from the government on Rehman’s detention.

Earlier, chief of Jamat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmed was arrested by the government.

But party officials of both the groups say government pressure will not stop them bringing the country to a standstill to protest against the US bombing on Afghanistan.—Reuters