Chief cleric of Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz acquitted

District Court Islamabad has acquitted Lal Masjad’s chief cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz in two separate cases of treason and threatening the government with a backlash of suicide attacks.

Judicial Magistrate Kashif Qayyum Sheikh on Wednesday heard the cases against Mualana Abdul Aziz and gave verdict in his favor due to absence of solid proof against the accused.

Earlier, the cases were under process in Aabpara Police Station, which were registered in March 2004 and in 2007 before Lal Masjad operation.

A treason case was registered against the chief cleric of Lal Masjid in March 2004 for issuing a decree against Wana Operation being carried out by Pakistan army against militants by Pakistan in South Waziristan Agency.

The case was registered on the application of then City Magistrate Islamabad, Firasat Ali Khan, (Currently Additional Deputy Commissioner Islamabad).

He had accused the cleric for speaking against the government and declaring the military operation as Un-Islamic by using platform of Lal Masjad.

Maulana was also charged for inciting people against the government and issuing decree that no funeral prayer should be offered for any army personnel killed during the military operation.

On Wednesday, five witnesses including Firasat Ali Khan appeared and recorded their statements.

Wajih Ullah Khan, the counsel of Maulana Abdul Aziz told the court that nothing had been proven against his client while police has also failed to produce any solid evidence in this regard.

In the second case, registered in 2007, he was accused of threatening the government of suicide attacks if the government tried to pull down Lal Masjid or Jamia Hafsa (the women’s faculty.

He was also charged for announcing to run movement for enforcement of Sharia Law in the country, misuse of loudspeaker, burning CD’s shops and kidnapping the foreigners.

The Maulans’s lawyers once again said that allegations were yet to be proved as police has no solid evidence or any witness against his client. He appealed before the court that his client be acquitted.

The court after hearing the witnesses and argument of lawyers from both sides, acquitted Maulana Abdul Aziz in both cases.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Mar 1 2012. Filed under National, Pakistan, Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.