| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Action against seminaries linked with terror groups yet to be initiated |
| 2015-06-23 |
| [DAWN] Though authorities have identified over 40 seminaries in Sindh with alleged links to terror groups, no legal action has yet been initiated against them, it emerged on Sunday. Informed sources told Dawn that at a recent meeting on the law and order situation, which was chaired by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, it was revealed that there were at least 46 madrassahs (seminaries) in Sindh with reported 'leanings towards terrorism'. This claim was based on reports submitted to the provincial government by a military-led intelligence agency and civilian federal agency. Of the 46 seminaries, 24 were located in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... , 12 in Hyderabad, four in Larkana and six in Sukkur, according to official documents reviewed by Dawn. However, the hip bone's connected to the leg bone... the official papers contained the names of only two seminaries in Karachi that have links with the banned ...the word bannedseems to have a different meaning in Pakistain than it does in most other places. Or maybe it simply lacks any meaning at all... organizations Jundullah and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain, and were located in the areas of Sohrab Goth and Manghopir. Officials claimed that they had "tangible evidence" about those seminaries having links with terror organizations. Sindh home secretary Mukhtar Hussain Soomro, in his briefing at the meeting revealed that there were a total of 9,590 seminaries in Sindh with 517,695 students, including foreigners. Of them only 6,503 were registered and 3,087 were unregistered. Inspector General (IG) of Sindh police Ghulam Hyder Jamali in his briefing stated that a total of 167 unregistered seminaries had been sealed off in Sindh so far. Out of them, 139 were located in Hyderabad division while 28 in Shaheed Benazirabad. The IG also pointed out that the police were trying to implement other components of the National Action Plan (NAP). He revealed that so far, over 260 people had been tossed in the clink ... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not... on charges of violation of the law regarding loudspeakers and 601 cases had been registered against them. Similarly, the provincial police chief stated that over 28 persons had been arrested on charges of spreading hate material and 22 cases had been registered. The home secretary stated that under NAP and subsequent decisions taken at apex committee meetings, the provinces were supposed to strengthen legislation on hate speech, murderous Moslem materials and use of loudspeakers. It was stated that hate speech and murderous Moslem material consisting of videos, audios and printed material shall be checked and confiscated at every level. For this purpose, regularisation and monitoring of printers and publishers should also be done besides monitoring the use of SMS, e-mails, websites and social media. As for activities of banned outfits, the meeting was informed that the Sindh government had written to the federal ministry of interior, asking it for a list of banned religious outfits re-emerging under changed nomenclature so that such organizations should not be allowed to hold public gatherings. About the decision of discouraging media interviews of members or leaders of such proscribed organizations, the meeting was informed that the executive committee concerned had directed the secretary for information to convene a meeting with the owners of electronic and print media 'to curb hate speeches and materials.' |
| Posted by:Fred |