The Punjab Home Department has directed the police and other law enforcement agencies to strictly monitor the activities of over 30 religious seminaries across the most populous province in Pakistan.
Sources revealed that authorities had warned the police and the law enforcement agencies that nearly 200 seminaries were involved in suspicious activities, especially in southern Punjab, and had links with the leaders of banned militant groups and organisations which had emerged with new names, the Daily Times reported.
At least 74 seminaries have been placed in ‘A’ category and 96 in ‘B’ category according to their suspicious activities, following a survey report prepared by the intelligence agencies.
According to the report, out of the 30 seminaries, eight were located in Lahore, four in Multan, eight in Bahawalpur, four in Rahimyar Khan, three in Jhang, two in Sialkot and one in Lodhran.
The home department has directed the inspector general of the Punjab police, the capital city police officer, the regional police officers, the city police officers and district police officers to strictly monitor the activities of all the leaders and activists of banned militant outfits, people who returned from Afghan prisons, and other terror suspects mentioned in the fourth Schedule of the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act.