Students of religious seminary detain brothel owner, two policemen

Islamabad, Mar 28 (UNI) Tensions ran high in Islamabad today between police and local clerics after female students of a religious seminary detained woman manager of a brothel, her daughter and a daugther-in-law.

Female students went to the house or den of the woman manager, identified as ''aunty Shamim'' and picked her up along with her daughter and one daughter-in-law, after they refused to shut the brothel.

The action came two days after the female students of a local religious seminary, Jamia Hafza, launched a campaign against video centres and brothels in the capital amid growing fears of Talibanisation of Pakistan society, especially in the northern tribal region.

Following signing of peace deals by government with pro-Taliban tribesmen in North, South Waziristan and Bajaur agency bordering Afghanistan, video shops are reportedly being demolished in the three regions and barbers and people are being asked not to shave their beards.

Students of Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid visited various markets of the city, including the Melody Market, as part of their drive against video shops to convince the shop owners to leave this business.

Despite threatening calls by Shamim, female students raided her brothel last night asking her to stop the ''dirty'' business. They also asked the local police to register a complaint.

The police, however, reportedly refused to entertain the request, claiming that they did not usually get evidence from the neighbours.

Policemen and hundreds of baton-wielding male students of the adjoining seminary came face-to-face in a dangerous stand-off after authorities arrested two female teachers. In retaliation, the students held two policemen hostage along with their vans.

The manager of the seminary and head cleric of the affiliated Red Mosque Ghazi Abdur Rashid told the reporters that his students would launch ''jehad'' or holy war if the two teachers were not released.

Jamia Hafza has been the center of attention for last two months, since its female students occupied a public library and linked ending of occupation with enforcement of Islamic order in the country and reconstruction of a number of mosques demolished by authorities in the capital after intelligence tip offs that they might be used by militants for terror attacks.

UNI