KARACHI, Aug 27: At least 30 workers of the Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba were booked and arrested on Monday when the police foiled their attempt to hold a protest demonstration in front of the Karachi Press Club, police said.

The IJT, however, claimed that more than 50 workers, who were either coming to join the demonstration or leaving it, were taken into custody after the demonstration.

DIG Javed Ali Shah Bukhari told Dawn that a total of 30 IJT workers were arrested. “The IJT workers arrested near the Karachi Press Club have been booked for creating disturbances and resorting to violent activities,” he added.

The information secretary of the IJT, Karachi, said the workers held a demonstration to protest against the killing of Farhan Butt by activists of the Punjabi Student Association. “The police arrested our workers when some of them were going back after the demonstration and the others who were coming to join the demonstration,” he added.

He said at least 17 IJT workers were arrested by the Rangers at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where they had gathered to attend Quran Khwani for Farhan Butt.