RAWALPINDI: Police captured heavy quantities of illegal arsenal and arms dumps in a lightning swoop on hostels and universities across the country, which began at midnight... . The action was aimed at ensuring security and peace in the seats of learning throughout the land.

The nation-wide action by forces of law and order followed a bomb blast in Peshawar University which killed Frontier Senior Minister Hayat Mohammad Khan Sherpao and a student leader, Abdul Hameed, earlier this month. Raids were conducted in the presence of magistrates in various cities all over the country.

According to figures available so far, more than 500 revolvers and pistols, nearly 30 guns, over 290 daggers and knives and large quantities of ammunition and explosives were recovered. The police has arrested about 284 persons in the Punjab and Sind provinces for po­­ssessing unlicensed lethal weapons. Fed­e­ral Government sources in Islamabad were confident that this timely action … would gre­atly help to strengthen security, normalcy and peace for the citizens in general and students in particular everywhere. According to repor­­ts, the police … acted with politeness while performing their duty.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2025