KARACHI, Sept 15: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has started interrogating 46 Pakistani nationals handed over by Afghanistan to Pakistan.

Well-placed sources in the police said the 46 men, all residents of Sindh, most of them belonging to Karachi, went to Afghanistan to help Taliban fight the international coalition forces. After Taliban government was toppled, they were arrested and remained in the custody of the coalition forces, who handed them over to the new Afghan government.

After negotiations between the governments of the two countries, they were handed over to Pakistan and shifted to their native province. They were not set at liberty and remained in the custody of the CID for investigation.

The 46 men shifted to Karachi are: Badshahzada, North Nazimabad; Mohammad Tahir, Orangi Town; Mohammad Nazeer, New Karachi; Ahmed Hussain, Landhi; Mohammad Imran, Landhi; M. Arif, Clifton; Kashif Malik, Nazimabad; Azhar Khan, Landhi; Abdul Tawab, Manghopir; M Sultan, North Nazimabad; M. Usman, Korangi; Shamshad Ahmed, Baldia Town; Mutiur Rehman, Federal B Area; Abdul Wudood, North Nazimabad; Abdul Jalal, North Nazimabad; Malik M. Farhan Aslam, Model Colony; Abdul Haleem, North Nazimabad; Shireenzada, North Nazimabad; Mohammad Jan, North Nazimabad; Khilzar Khan, North Nazimabad; Kamran Jamshed Bhatti, Korangi; M. Fayyaz, North Karachi; M. Mujahid, Landhi; Ashraf Bakhsh, Landhi; Zeeshan Saeed, Landhi; Afzal Anwar, Landhi; Tanveer Anwar, North Karachi; Ghulamullah Jilani, Orangi Town; Mohammed Naveed, Gulistan-i-Johar; Humayun Mehmood, Landhi; Zulfiqar, Golimar; Mohammad Muneer, PIB Colony; Zafar Khan, Gizri; Shehzad Baloch, Gizri; Raees Majeed, Korangi; Shaaban, Model Colony; Izharul Haq, North Nazimabad; Shehbaz Abdur Rasheed, Landhi; Mohammad Shakir Ali, Surjani Town; Hasnain Ali Khan, Korangi; Syed M. Iqbal Shah, Landhi; Eedo Haji Suleman (mentally retarded), Tando Allahyar; Sikandar Ali, Nawabshah; Abdul Ghani, Khairpurmirs; Bedam Ali, Nawabshah and M. Bilal Khoso, Jacobabad.

The sources said investigators were trying to ascertain as to who had convinced them to go to Afghanistan and what means they used to cross the border illegally.

The financial resources, supply of weapons and ammunitions to them and other things are also being investigated. The investigators are further collecting information about the family background of these men.

They said some of these men had acquired education from various Madaris and the police had associated a number of persons in different Madaris with the investigation.

They said interrogating these men would help lead the police to locate more Al Qaeda men hiding in Sindh, specially in the sprawling city of Karachi.