Hafiz Saeed's seminaries, dispensaries took over in Punjab
Islamabad: Pakistan's Punjab government has launched a crackdown on seminaries and health facilities run by the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed in Rawalpindi.
The action came after a high-level UN sanctions team visited Rawalpindi in January to review progress against groups and individuals banned by the UN.
Following orders by the Pakistan government, the Rawalpindi administration took control of a seminary and four dispensaries run by JuD and its charity wing Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF).
The seminary was handed over to the Auqaf Department, which controls the religious properties, while the dispensaries were given to the Health Department.
"The district administration teams have visited the seminaries, but JuD has denied any link with the madrassas," a senior district official told Dawn. He said the government had taken control of madrassa Hudabia -- which comprised a college, a school and a seminary -- and started conducting an audit of its finances to check details of the funding and expenditures.
He said a similar operation would also be launched in Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum districts.
Pakistan has come under intense pressure to act against terror groups after US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of 2018, announced cutting all further aid to Islamabad on charges of "harboring terrorists".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Hubballi: Nine Lord Ayyappa devotees suffer burn injuries in LPG cylinder blast
Hubballi (Karnataka), Dec 23: Nine devotees of Lord Ayyappa sustained serious burn injuries due to a LPG cylinder blast at a Shiva temple here, police said on Monday.
According to police, the incident occurred on Sunday night in Sainagar in the city. The devotees were sleeping in the temple room when the tragedy took place.
All nine injured were immediately admitted to KIMS Hospital. Their condition is said to be critical, police sources said.
Police suspect that the devotees did not turn off the cylinder knob properly after cooking food, resulting in the blast.
The devotees were planning a trip to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala.
