Counterterrorism dept: Over 150 suspects arrested from seminary

Of the detainees, 120 students and teachers are unregistered Afghan nationals.

HARIPUR: Law-enforcement agencies arrested 151 suspects from a seminary at an Afghan refugee camp on the outskirts of the district on Monday evening.

Of the detainees, 120 students and teachers were unregistered Afghan nationals. The remaining 31 students belonged to Quetta, Bajaur Agency, Dir and Swat. They were booked under Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, police said on Tuesday.

Khalabat Township police said a team of law-enforcement agencies raided Madrassah Shamsul Madaaris, Afghan refugee camp No 15 and arrested 151 suspects. The Afghan nationals were booked under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act. However, seminary in charge Maulana Rehmatullah managed to escape, police added.

All the detainees were produced before the local magistrate who sent them to Central Prison Haripur on judicial remand.

Meanwhile, another Afghan national was arrested by the counterterrorism department in Abbottabad. Hayat Khan was detained while 20 Afghan SIM cards, five passports and five Pakistani NICs were recovered from his possession. Police suspected the accused of having links with militant outfits. Further investigation is under way.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2014.