QUETTA, Jan 14: Police arrested six leaders of religious parties here on Monday as part of the crackdown on activists of extremist organizations.

“Yes, we have arrested six leaders and activists of different religious parties who planned to organize a rally on Jan 18 against the government decision of banning militant organizations,” Dr Shoaib Suddle, the provincial police chief, told Dawn.

“A case against JUI Secretary-General Ghafoor Haideri has already been registered for delivering anti-state speeches while some of the leaders are wanted in sabotage activities and riots in Quetta city on Oct 8,” he said, adding that the government had also arrested provincial leadership of banned sectarian organizations.

According to police sources, these leaders were taken into custody when they gathered outside the Quetta Press Club to address a press conference. Heavy contingent of police, which was present on the occasion, took all the six leaders and workers of different religious parties into custody and shifted them to the Cantt Police Station.

Those who had been arrested included Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Secretary-General JUI (F), Maulana Abdul Haq Baloch, provincial chief Jamaat-i-Islami Balochistan, Agha Abdul Mateen Akhundzada, provincial general secretary JI, Allama Rashid Ganggohi, provincial general secretary Pakistan-Afghan Defence Council, Sadiq Muslim and Maulana Mohammad Qasim.

Meanwhile, the provincial administration on Monday raided over 160 Madaris functioning in different parts of Balochistan.

Official sources said that the aim of these surprise visits was to get the first-hand information about the activities of these institutions in view of President Musharraf’s announcement regarding Madaris.