KARACHI: Police and Rangers claimed to have arrested at least 100 suspects during the past three days as part of a crackdown initiated against banned outfits in Karachi ahead of the holy month of Muharram.

In a fresh raid conducted on Monday, law enforcement personnel took 23 suspected terrorists into custody from Manghopir area of the city, Karachi West SSP Azfar Mahesar told Dawn.

"10 out of 23 suspects were released, while the rest are being interrogated," said Mahesar.

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The police officer maintained that this was the third operation in last three days as law enforcement agencies received intelligence regarding terrorists' plans to disrupt religious processions in the coming month of Muharram.

"Potential hideouts of terrorists and localities where their presence is feared, like Sultanabad and Kunwari Colony are being targeted in this search operation," said SSP Mahesar.

Karachi has a history of attacks on religious processions in Islamic holy month of Muharram, especially on 8th, 9th and 10th of the month, claimed by banned militant outfits targeting people belonging to Shia sect of Islam.

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Sindh government has already declared 1,229 religious gatherings and 572 processions as most sensitive across the province, hence ordering a three layer security cordons for all such events scheduled for Muharram.

IG Sindh police Ghulam Hyder Jamali while briefing a high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Thursday said that a joint flag march with Rangers will be conducted and the ban on carrying and displaying of arms will be strictly enforced in Karachi.

While on Moharram 8 surveillance would be made through 234 cameras installed at 66 different locations, while Moharram 9, 10 the camera coverage would be through 246 cameras installed at 69 different locations.

Jamali further informed the CM that there would be 30 mobile vehicles fitted with cameras for mobile surveillance during the days of processions and at Imambargahs.