`No militant camps in Bahawalpur`

Published October 22, 2009

Police chief rejects stories about militant compounds in the district and parries queries on the seizure of explosives. Above: A view of the main gate of a compound allegedly run by the Al Qaeda-linked terror network Jaish-i-Mohammed, on the outskirts of Bahawalpur. —Photo by AP

BAHAWALPUR The top police official of the Bahawalpur division has dismissed the reports of training camp or hideout of any militant group in the division.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera told reporters here on Wednesday that a compound (linked to banned Jaish-i-Muhammad) at Chowk Azam was not being used as a militants' training camp as was reported in a section of foreign media. He said he along with District Police Officer Humayun Bashir and a foreign media team inspected the place and found nothing related to militancy there.

He said continuous monitoring of the madaris was on, and if any madressah was found indulged in any activity action would be taken against its management.

The RPO, taking strong exception to the term 'Punjabi Taliban,' said some individuals from all parts of the country had joined militants but only individuals from south Punjab were being singled out.

He, however, parried a question about a report that an intelligence agency had seized explosives from the car of a religious leader here on Tuesday night.

He boasted the performance of the police saying that hardened criminal Jara, wanted in a number of robberies and with a Rs500,000 head money, was killed in the riverside of Rahim Yar Khan on Tuesday.

He said the establishment of several police check-posts in Sadiqabad and Rahim Yar Khan had helped police nab criminals there.

About security measures in the city and other parts of the range, he said the police were fully alive to the threat of terrorism. He asked the public to cooperate with the police and inform them about any suspicious activity.

SCHOOLS CLOSED In pursuance of the instructions of the Punjab government, all public and private schools and colleges here were closed.

The Islamia University also postponed the on-going examinations of BA/BSc and BTech. New dates will be announced later.

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