'93 madrassas in Sindh have solid links with terrorist groups'

Karachi: Around 93 madrassas in Pakistan's Sindh province have "solid links" with terror groups or banned outfits and authorities will soon launch an operation against those Islamic religious schools harbouring terrorists, a media report said on Wednesday.

Pakistani intelligence agencies have credible information about the activities taking place in these madrassas, according to The Express Tribune.

A special meeting held at the Sindh Chief Minister's house to review the law and order in the province was apprised about these numbers on Tuesday, the report said.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah presided over the meeting, which was also attended by the Rangers director-general Major General Bilal Akbar and provincial heads of intelligence agencies among other members of civilian leadership.

The chief minister directed the police and Rangers to begin an operation against madrassas harbouring terrorists.

"This kind of attitude will not be accepted," said Shah.

"We will not allow anybody to shed blood of innocent people in the name of religion or using a sacred place. This operation will also be targeted and intelligence-based."

The operation will be started just after Chehlum, a religious observance that occurs 40 days after the Day of Ashura.

He further directed the home department to put the 93 madrassas involved in dubious activities on the watch list and maintain a record of their day-to-day activities.

The heads of law enforcement agencies briefed the chief minister about the recent arrests of some high-profile terrorists who have given clues of other terrorists living in the city and about their plans.

It was pointed out that illegal immigrants living in Karachi and in its outskirts and slum areas were either harbouring terrorists or supporting them. Some of them are directly involved in terrorist activities, the report said.