Pakistan cracks down on Islamic militants

Pakistani police have arrested more than 30 Islamic militants, including some alleged members of al-Qaida, in raids in two major cities.

One suspect was killed and a policeman wounded in a shoot-out during one of the raids in the city of Faisalabad.

Four extremists were also wounded in the shoot-out and were taken to hospital under heavy police guard. Other raids took place in Pakistan's second largest city Lahore. Both cities are in Punjab province.

Punjab provincial police have refused to specify the groups to which the suspects belonged. In January, President General Pervez Musharraf banned five Islamic extremist organisations as part of a crackdown on Muslim militancy in wake of the war on terrorism in neighbouring Afghanistan.

All five are believed to have chapters in Punjab province.