Ghulam Rasool is being detained for 30 days, which the government can extend. PHOTO: FILE
The move came in wake of attacks on Hazara shia in Balochistan for which the LeJ had claimed responsibility. The Supreme Court also took suo moto notice of the incident and asked the federal government to act against those responsible.
LeJ activist detained
Senior Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) member Ghulam Rasool was detained on Wednesday under the maintenance of public order (MPO) and shifted to the Bahawalnagar jail.
The order had been issued by the Punjab home department and was confirmed by District Police Officer Abdul Hameed Khosa in Bahawalnagar.
Rasool, like LeJ chief Malik Ishaq, is currently out on bail.
SSP activist detained
Maavia Azam, the son of former SSP chief Moulana Azam Tariq, was detained in Jhang under the MPO.
Azam is allegedly a member of the ASWJ.
A spokesperson of ASWJ while talking to The Express Tribune confirmed the detentions of both Rasool and Azam.
He added that law enforcement agencies had conducted raids across the Punjab to arrest and detain ASWJ leaders and activists.
Later in a statement, the ASWJ chief Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi among other ASWJ office bearers condemned the detentions of innocent ASWJ activists under the pretense of of Quetta bombing.
Ludhianvi said that that ASWJ members have been arrested, while their seminaries have also been raided in Quetta. The ASWJ chief warned that unless their members were released, they would proceed to stage protest demonstrations and sit-ins.
LeJ background
The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is a banned terrorist organisation in Pakistan. It was formed in the mid-1990s, by a group of extremists, including Malik Ishaq.
LeJ has carried out a number of attacks on minority groups in Pakistan and its Balochistan faction has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks against the Hazara shia population in Quetta. It was banned by the government in 2001.
COMMENTS (18)
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Real action is required these temporary measures wont help the cause.
Credit goes to Punjab government.
They will be released, once a different, news headline appears!
So when are we releasing them? These are our strategic assets after all. Give them some tickets and let them contest in elections and I am sure no one would dare stand against them.
Reading the negative comments above I can understand why no good happens in Pakistan. If the governments at center and provinces didn't do anything they would be criticized but now that efforts are being made their motives are being questioned. I want to ask people where they go with self-righteous attitudes when the SC and high courts release members of these banned terrorist organizations, the witnesses are shot in broad daylight by militants and it goes back to business as usual? Is it the job of the provincial or federal government to carry out jprosecution against terrorists or the job of the judiciary?
Yet another stupid charade by govt. to cool down public sentiments. These lunatics will be out in a month to wreck another havoc on the streets.
@Parvez: "Disgraceful behaviour on the part of the Punjab and Federal governments. If these criminals are allowed to live they will kill again and those deaths will be on your heads."
I shae your anger and sorrow but not your conclusion. Certainly have been disgusted by the sectarian violence in Quetta and have zero sympathies for LeJ. ALso am disgusted at how politically acceptable the AWSJ people are when they strut in DPC. But people are entitled to due process of law. If the laws of evidence or prosecution methods or the biases of judges have resulted in people like Mallik Ishaq escaping their just dessert despite having killed dozens then those are the gaps that need to be fixed. There can be anti-terror act, there can be fast track courts, witness protection programs etc. but there should be a due process of law (unless they are killed in an exchange of gunfire in which case they asked for it). It also appears that an organization getting around a ban by simply changing its name is a loop hole that should be addressed. The LEADERS of a banned organization should not be allowed to form a new organization. LEj to WSJ, LeT t JuD are just 2 examples.
Separately, I notice that opinions on this same forum were quite different when Afzal Guru was hanged. For reference, the terror attack he was convicted of planning led to 19 people dying but more importantly they were trying to attack the Indian parliament when it was in session and would have resulted in chaos and anarchy if they had succeeded. 3 other co-accused were acquitted. Even Afzal's TV interview confessing o his involvement was thrown out by the judges on technical grounds. The previous 2 examples are cited to indicate that the trial was fair not rigged. Yet after exhausting all his appeals when he was executed - even liberal commentators like Najam Sethi called it judicial murder and Tribune's editorial team condemned it. Blood is red everywhere and no one should gloat when a civilian elsewhere dies or celebrate killers of civilians that perhaps worship differently.
I do not buy the hypothesis that one group's patriot is other group's terrorist. If someone kills civilians and non-combatants they are terrorists for everyone. Whether LeJ or JeM or Afzal Guru or TTP - whoever kills a non-combatant is a terrorist. It is for this reason that Afgan mujahideen of 1980s were NOT terrorist because they did not attack Russian women and children. George Washington or Bhagat Singh were not terrorists either for the exact same reason. But the people who killed British women and children (after they had been guaranteed safe passage too) in the 1857 mutiny/independence struggle ARE terrorists even if they were Indians and even if those they killed were our occupiers.
So why is Malik Ishaq not convicted if he is known terrorist? Lack of evidence? CJ Chaudary saab there is a lot at stake. Use your best judgment
He is in protective custody so that no one can hurt him, like protective custody of Hafeez Saeed. After a few days, when he comes out of protective custody/VVIP guest house, he will be showered with rose petals.
@Billo:" Hope this time he rots in jail forever" --- yoiur wish does not appear to be fulfilled as Ghulam Rasool has been detained ( not jailed) as a preventive measure and no charge has been levelled against him. He surely will come out within couple of days.
Detain him indefinitely!
This is a topi drama to fool the people. He will get first class treatment in jail for 30 days and when everyone forgets this latest atrocity he will be quietly let out. The people of land of pure deserve the people they elect.
Just by association with LEJ he is at least proven for 'conspiracy to murder', treason to the country.... It remains to be seen if Mr. CJ set up an expedited higher court hearing for quick opportunity to him to defend himself and quick dispensation of justice?
They are protecting him in jail from the anger of the people.
Hope this time he rots in jail forever.
Disgraceful behaviour on the part of the Punjab and Federal governments. If these criminals are allowed to live they will kill again and those deaths will be on your heads.
why detain him.... HANG HIM!!! Murderer of Innocents