Karachi, Pakistan - Pakistani authorities have arrested over 100 clerics and madrassa students during a countrywide crackdown against those sheltering militants and circulating hate material.
Among those arrested were Mufti Ibrar, personal secretary to Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Over 40 people were arrested in Islamabad alone.
The operation started after sunset Monday and continued till Tuesday night.
The crackdown was launched 12 days after the London blasts in which three of the four suspected bombers were identified as British citizens of Pakistani origin. The bombers had visited the country this year, Dawn reported Wednesday.
Hours before the crackdown began, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had for the first time publicly admitted that some madrassas were becoming training grounds for extremists.
Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao told Dawn the action had been taken against people involved in publishing hate material, making provocative speeches and sheltering militants.
Sherpao said the government was ready to face the backlash for the action taken against hardline religious organisations and their leaders.
A high-level security meeting has been scheduled in the interior ministry to decide future course of action.
Police sources said many security personnel and madrassa students were injured during clashes during the crackdown.
The police resorted to baton charges and fired tear gas at several places to disperse seminary students. Several public buildings and private vehicles were damaged during the clashes.
Eight seminaries were raided in Islamabad, including the Jama-i-Hafsa, better known as Lal Masjid, which is said to be the premier institute of the Deobandi sect. Some 6,000 students are enrolled in the seminary.
Thirty people were arrested from different cities of Punjab province and an equal number from the North West Frontier Province capital Quetta.