GILGIT: Helped by the army, Gilgit Scouts, Punjab Rangers and the police, the Northern Areas (NAs) administration began a disarmament drive late on Friday, a source told Daily Times on Saturday. The source said that at least 15 people were arrested and a large quantity of weapons was seized during the operation. He said the drive aimed to crack down on sectarian violence in the area which started after the murder of Shia leader Agha Ziauddin on January 8. The attack led to violent reprisals by Shias against Sunnis and both sects fought pitched battles. The source cited the murder of a former inspector general of police and four of his bodyguards on March 23 as another reason for the campaign. He said the government had planned the campaign for a long time, adding that a large contingent of the army, 800 Punjab Rangers personnel, 1,000 Scouts and about 1,000 police personnel were participating in the campaign.