Peshawar Police on Thursday arrested more than 100 people, including Afghan nationals, in a fresh crackdown against illegal religious seminaries and their unregistered students. Police sources said the raids were conducted against a number of seminaries in areas such as Yakka Toot and University Town. Although senior police officials are yet to confirm the arrests made in this regard, but sources said that over 100 people had been arrested. Sources said the crackdown was ordered after security officials intercepted telephonic conversations between seminary students and suspected militants in North Waziristan.
Police officials believe that several foreign and local militants were enrolled in the seminaries in Peshawar and its surroundings. Police said the arrested individuals did not have identity cards or other proof of registration. The management of the seminaries also failed to prove the registration of the arrested students. Sources said the authorities were trying to confirm the identity of the arrested people after which their fate would be decided.
