Sedition charges slapped against 87 persons in Pakistan

At least 87 people, including 25 women, were detained in Jamshoro district of Pakistan's Sindh province on sedition charges, according to local media on Wednesday.

In a crackdown on Sindhi nationalist activists on Monday night, several people, including men and women, were arrested while they were allegedly returning home after attending a programme held in Sann town of Jamshoro district to observe the 27th death anniversary of veteran nationalist leader GM Syed, Dawn reported.

Pakistan police have registered First Investigation Report (FIR) against 190 activists belonging to various nationalist groups. The complainant stated that the suspects had raised anti-state and anti-army slogans at the programme.

On Tuesday, 87 of the suspects were produced in the Jamshoro anti-terrorism court (ATC), which remanded them in judicial custody for 14 days. The suspects included 25 women.

Citing sources, the activists were intercepted by police and Rangers personnel on their way back home via Amri, Petaro Toll Plaza and other sections of Jamshoro Road.

Several prominent people were detained including veteran nationalist figure Dr Nazir Khokhar and his wife Azra Khokhar, Farman Soomro and his wife Firdous Soomro, Mohammad Ali Ujjan, Ayaz Dasti, Gulzar Shah, Amir Ali Thaheem, Mohammad Tahir Afridi, Mohammad Nasir, Saeed Ahmed and Ghulam Nabi.

Earlier in January, over 50 Sindhi nationalists were booked for raising "anti-Pakistan" slogans in Sann town of Jamshoro district on the eve of the 118th birth anniversary of veteran nationalist leader G M Syed.

( With inputs from ANI )