February 21, 2006	Tuesday	Muharram 22, 1427

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RAWALPINDI, Feb 20: As many as 216 people, out of about 270, arrested from various parts of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in connection with the Sunday’s violent anti-cartoon protests were sent to jail on Monday, police sources said.

Out of the 54 protesters arrested by the capital territory police, five booked by the Aabpara police under Anti-Terrorist Act were sent to jail, while the remaining 49 arrested by I-9 police were released on Monday night.

Those sent to jail were Hamid Hussain, Saad Ahmed, Khan Zada, Hashmat Khan and Akbar. According to Aabpara police, they were involved in attacking and injuring six policemen, and also violated the ban on rallies and caused damage to government property.

In Rawalpindi, cases were registered against 217 protesters, including some parliamentarians, on various charges. Out of the 217, 211 were arrested by the police, while six are yet to be taken into custody.

The hunt for the six protesters, including Muttahida Majlis- i-Amal MNA Hanif Abbasi, who was booked by the Sadiqabad police, has been launched by the Pindi police.

Those arrested included three persons booked by the Civil Lines police on charges of violating a ban on using loud speaker to incite people for strike.

When contacted, SP Rural Circle Dr Moeen said no case had been registered for violation of ban on rallies.

The Sunday’s protest was called by the Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal (MMA), and was also joined by other opposition parties in the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy.

The security forces in the federal capital fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to disperse protesters at Aabpara and Faizabad for violating the ban on holding rallies.

During police action, hundreds of protesters, including National Assembly members Zamurrad Khan of PPP and Hanif Abbasi of the MMA, were also arrested. Jamaat-i-Islami Secretary-General Syed Munawar Hassan, PML-N leader Sardar Naseem and MPA Chaudhry Iyaz were arrested by the Pindi police.

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