BAHAWALPUR: The Wifaqul Madaris has accused the federal government of sabotaging the seminaries across the country in the name of national security.

Wifaqul Madaris South Punjab Nazim Maulana Mohammad Zubair Siddiqui told a press conference on Thursday that the procedure for registration of seminaries the government had laid down in the policy was highly complicated as flimsy questions and details had been incorporated.

These centres, he said, promoted peace and harmony. The national security policy was a reflection of the US agenda, he said. He said a convention of seminaries would be held in Multan on March 30 to discuss the future course of action.

He told a questioner that there were more than 17,000 seminaries having the student strength of three million in south Punjab.

CAMPAIGN: The Excise and Taxation Department claims to have impounded more than 100 tractor-trolleys during a campaign against illegal commercial use of these vehicles.

E&T Bahawalpur Director Tanveer Abbas Gondal told this correspondent that the owners and cultivators were using tractor-trolleys for commercial purposes instead of agriculture.

The department, he said, launched a drive to check their misuse in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan.

Each tractor-trolley converted for commercial purposes had been fined Rs9,000. The drive would continue throughout the month, he added.