Dozens held, madrasa blown up, in Pakistan crackdown

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan, Mar 15 (Reuters) Pakistani authorities have arrested at least 30 people, blown up a religious school and banned sale of weapons as part of an effort to suppress Islamist militancy in a troubled tribal region.

The North Waziristan tribal agency was the scene of military strikes before and after a March 3-4 visit to Pakistan by US President George W Bush that officials say killed nearly 200 pro-Taliban militants.

A curfew was imposed in the capital Miranshah 11 days ago.

Early today, the paramilitary Frontier Constabulary blew up the town's Anwar-ul-Uloom (Light of Knowledge) madrasa, which officials said has served as a sanctuary for militants.

They said the religious school was built by Afghan refugees in the 1990s and no one was in it at the time it was destroyed.

North Waziristan's senior official, Political Agent Zaheerul Islam, told Reuters that 29 people, 19 of them Afghans, had been arrested since authorities announced a drive to force out Afghans living illegally in the region on Monday.

Witnesses saw another Afghan being arrested in Miranshah when the night-time curfew ended at dawn today.

Islam said the Afghans were arrested as ''they are no longer refugees but foreigners living without travel documents''. He said some Pakistanis were arrested for possible links with militants.

MORE REUTERS SHR RN1936

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