KOHAT, Dec 2: Police arrested here on Monday a leader of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) for his alleged involvement in Nov 18 riots in Kohat.

The arrested ASWJ leader, Fayaz Haidri, was nominated in the FIR along with 25 other persons for leading a mob which caused riots in the city last month.

Sources said that the number of arrested people had risen to 11 and police were raiding different places to nab other accused, who had gone underground to evade arrest.

The arrest of the people had sparked unrest in Kohat because the protesters were trying to get free their comrades and attack a place of worship of the rival sect.

Similarly, Farhan, a journalist, was also arrested for his presence during attack on the religious place. His camera was broken and he was beaten by some members of the rival sect.

The local journalists staged a sit-in on Monday outside Kohat Press Club for his release and condemned police for arresting innocent person.

They also demanded that the administration should buy a new camera for the journalist and remove Terrorism Act from the FIR under which he was arrested.

LAWYERS: The local lawyers have said that the sit-in and blockade of Nato supplies, which entered its 10th day, by workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is a cognisable offence.

Talking to Dawn here on Monday, they said that the sit-in on Indus Highway and checking of vehicles and beating up drivers was illegal that showed inability of the administration to stop the mob.

They said that Section 144, which was enforced for a month in Kohat, prohibited such acts and its violators were liable to arrest and punishment.

Former MPA and human rights activist Advocate Musarat Shafi said that the administration should register terrorism cases against those, who had taken law into their hands.

Checking vehicles was job of police and other law enforcement agencies, he added.

The president of Justice Action Committee, Advocate Masoodur Rehman, said that PTI was befooling Pakhtuns by stopping Nato supplies that could have stopped with the issuance of a simple executive order by the chief minister of the province.

He said that it was a drama to show to Pakhtuns that PTI was trying to stop drone attacks. He said that blockade of Nato supplies wouldn`t help to stop drone attacks.

The leader of Qaumi Watan Party and senior advocate, Mahmood Islam, said that Nato supplies were stopped to hide the corruption of PTI ministers. It had nothing to do with drone attacks, he added.

The president of Kohat Bar Association, Javed Kaghazai, said that PTI stopped hundreds of vehicles at Jarma that caused traffic problems. The administration should arrest PTI workers and register cases against them for illegally stopping traffic on Indus Highway, he added.