Pakistan detains hardline Sunnis

Plainsclothes police arrest a Sipah-e-sahaba activist

By Susannah Price in Islamabad

Police in Pakistan say they have detained 250 members of the hardline Sunni Muslim group, Sipah-e-Sahaba.

The members of the hardline Sunni group were planning to organise a march to celebrate a religious anniversary.

However, such processions and gatherings have been banned under recent legislation brought in by the military leader General Musharraf.

Police started arresting activists from the group during the early morning.

They say 250 were detained in different places to stop the march going ahead.

Sipah-e-Sahaba, whose name means the army of Prophet Mohammed's disciples, say that twice that number are being held.

Later in the day, a large crowd from the group gathered at a mosque in east Karachi.

Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd and the situation is now said to be calm.

The group has openly blamed Iran for backing rival extremist Shia organisations in continuing sectarian violence in the city.

There have been three recent court cases in which supporters of the group have been found guilty of murdering Iranian nationals.

The Supreme Court upheld the verdict in one case, sent another back for retrial, and is still hearing the third.