Police patrol Pakistani city after threats to base

Police were out in strength in a city in southern Pakistan today after Islamic militants vowed to marshal thousands of supporters to storm an air base providing support to US military personnel.

More than 100 people had been arrested by mid-morning after a protest inside Jacobabad, site of Shahbaz base.

Blockades and sandbag bunkers were in place around the city, most shops were closed and many streets deserted except for heavily armed patrols of police, army and paramilitary troops.

Islamic militants summoned by Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan’s largest and most influential religious party, vowed to seize the base later today.

They want to expel personnel supporting the US-led military campaign designed to root out terrorist installations in Afghanistan belonging to Osama bin Laden, top suspect in the September 11 terror attacks.

Roads to the city have been blocked for days to prevent mass entry but today about 200 militant Muslims appeared inside the city, chanting anti-government slogans. They made no immediate move toward the base three miles away.

Police rushed them with batons, ordering them to disperse. Nearly all were arrested, according to an Associated Press photographer on the scene who said at least five protesters appeared to have been injured by batons.

Earlier, Jacobabad police chief Akhtar Shah said authorities also had arrested about 100 activists since Sunday to prevent air-base-related demonstrations. The militants claim to have thousands more ready.

A Jamaat-e-Islami spokesman warned of more actions through the day. ‘‘We will reach the air base at any cost,’’ he said.

He claimed that police had arrested at least 1,100 supporters over the past two days but the authorities say the number is far lower.

President Pervez Musharraf’s government says Pakistan is lending only logistical support to the United States and has promised that no attacks on Afghanistan will be staged from Pakistani soil.