Police arrest militants to block anti-war protest

Police today moved to block a major protest against the US-led air campaign in Afghanistan by barring the head of Pakistan’s largest Islamic party from travelling and arresting scores of militants.

An angry Qazi Hussain Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islam party told reporters at Lahore airport that ‘‘the days of this government are numbered’’.

Pakistan, an ally in the military campaign in neighbouring Afghanistan, has clamped down hard on protests by Islamic militants since shortly before the US airstrikes started.

Today’s moves were aimed at defusing a rally called for tomorrow at Pakistan’s air base at Jacobabad. Islamic activists say Americans are using the base for attacks in Afghanistan.

President Pervez Musharraf’s government insists Pakistan is lending only logistical support to the campaign.

Anticipating a showdown, Ahmed arrived at Lahore international airport for his flight to Jacobabad backed by hundreds of chanting, angry supporters.

Police there presented him with a written government order forbidding him to fly to the southern city, senior police official Aslam Sahi said.

Turned back, the Islamic leader declared he would challenge the order in court and issued a vague but angry warning.

‘‘The days of this government are numbered, and Musharraf will no longer in power after a few days,’’ he told reporters.

In Sind province, home of Jacobabad, police have arrested at least 500 activists of Pakistan’s three leading Islamic organisations, said Munawar Hasan, spokesman of Jamaat-e-Islam. Officials said the number of arrests was only in the dozens.

Other activists have gone into hiding, determined to avoid arrest until they make it to Jacobabad for the protest, Hasan said.