Police search four madrasas, hate material found

Karachi
Police searched four madrasas in different areas of the city on Wednesday and took away some records and hate literature found there besides rounding up some suspects for questioning too.
The West district police and magistrates searched three seminaries on their watch list including the Jamia Binoria in SITE, the Masjid and Madrassa Al-Badar in Qasba Colony and the Masjid and Madrassa Al-Mustafa in Orangi Town.
SSP West Azfar Mahesar told The News that a team supervised by SP Sajid Sadozai had conducted the surveys of the three seminaries. The records of students, their entries of enrolment and physical presence were checked.
The team also checked the seminaries’ financial records and transactions.
They searched the rooms and stores and found hate literature, pamphlets and other similar material there. Besides, some suspects were also detained for questioning. The team was also assisted by police’s Rapid Response Force personnel.
The SSP West said there were 16 madrasas declared in the “A” category in the West range and 12 of them fell under the West district.
The Korangi district police searched the Madrassa Jamia Farooqia in Shah Faisal Colony. SSP Korangi Naeem Ahmed Shaikh, who supervised the team, said the whole building was thoroughly searched including classrooms, offices, administration blocks and hostels. He added that the administration cooperated with police.
The SSP was accompanied by the SP Shah Faisal, the DSP Al Falah, the Shah Faisal Colony SHO, Special Branch personnel, the Shah Faisal assistant commissioner and Rangers.
The official said the team did not find any hate literature, weapons or ammunition there.
The details about its students and faculty and funding and bank accounts were acquired.
A few days back, the Special Branch had submitted a list of madrasas categorized in three ranges of the Karachi Police - East, West and South. It had also listed the seminaries, for which thorough information was required, in the “A” category. Later, range DIGs and SSPs were directed to start the screening and registration of the madrasas.

National Action Plan
In a meeting held a few days ago, the Sindh chief minister had approved revised plans for the registration of madrasas under an updated procedure and also for taking action against seminaries having links with terrorist outfits.
The issue was also discussed in detail by the provincial apex committee.
In another meeting, chaired by IGP Ghulam Hyder Jamali to discuss the police’s progress in terms of the implementation of the National Action Plan, the participants were informed that a fresh exercise was being undertaken to collect comprehensive details about the madrasas in the province in accordance with the queries highlighted in recently prepared Performa by the police’s Special Branch.
The survey is being conducted to ensure the availability of accurate comprehensive data about registered and unregistered seminaries in the province along with other relevant information.
The additional IGP Special Branch informed the participants of the meeting that as soon as the process would be completed, the details would be shared with police on operational duties.
Besides, he added, the Special Branch was also preparing a digital map of the seminaries in the province through geo-tagging- a process that would be completed within a month.
The IGP stressed the need for strictly monitoring and curbing hate speeches, distribution of hate literature and wall chalking and ordered the arrest of those found involved in these activities pursuing the provisions of the National Action Plan.