Pakistan says it has taken control of 182 religious schools, detained 121 people in crackdown on militant groups

Pakistan has reportedly taken control of 182 religious schools and detained more than 100 people as it intensifies the crackdown on banned militant organisations, its interior ministry said on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_4764811” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “Law enforcement agencies have taken 121 people under preventive detention as of today,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that religious schools, hospitals and ambulances were taken over. The Pakistan Interior Ministry’s statement read: In compliance with the National Action Plan (NAP), law enforcement agencies have taken 121 people under preventive detention as of today. Besides, provincial governments have taken in their control management and administration of 182 seminaries (madaris), 34 schools/colleges, five hospitals, 163 dispensaries, 184 ambulances and eight offices. The operation against proscribed organisations is an ongoing process and continues under the National Action Plan 2014. Interior ministry is actively working in coordination with provincial governments and law enforcing agencies. Pakistan began a crackdown against militant groups this week amid growing international pressure in the wake of a terror attack by the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama which killed 40 personnel of India’s paramilitary force. However, Islamabad has denied  aiding militants and says its push against banned outfits is unrelated to Indian and global pressure. With inputs from Reuters