KARACHI Police arrested more than 50 Afghan nationals in different parts of the city and three Tajik students in a North Nazimabad seminary on Thursday, in a surprise move against foreigners staying in the city illegally.

The fresh action within the remits of some half a dozen police stations led to the arrest of a total of 58 Afghans, who would be charged under the Foreign Act.

'The police action began in the second half of the day and led to the arrest of 58 Afghan nationals in Surjani, Sohrab Goth, Maghopir, Gulshan-i-Maymar, Taimuria and Gadap police stations,' said an official. 'All the arrested persons were questioned before their formal arrest and none of them could justify their stay in the country.'

He said the police had enhanced patrolling across the city in the wake of recent security threats and closely monitored the movements of foreigners in parts of the city.

'The action is only meant to keep a check on foreigners in the city and the recent vigilance has resulted in the arrest of a number of foreigners staying in the country without legal documents,' added the official.

At sunset a heavy contingent of the police raided a madressah in the Buffer Zone area, where a large number of foreign students were enrolled in different courses.

'The police checked the record and data with the madressah administration,' said the official. 'During the course of brief questioning, the police came to know about three Tajik nationals, enrolled with the madressah, who failed to come up with required documents for their stay and education in Pakistan.'

He said the three Tajiks would be booked for violating the respective law.

Meanwhile, a source in the police shared with this reporter the figures of the arrested Afghans. 'A total of 20 Afghans were arrested in the Surjani police station, 25 in Sohrab Goth, three in Manghopir, five in Gadap, four each in Gulshan-i-Maymar and Taimuria police station limits,' added the source.