Police custody: Pasban leader, Hizbut Tehreer local chief remanded

Usman Moazzam was picked up by Rangers in a raid at his house on July 19

KARACHI: The administrative judge of the city's anti-terrorism courts remanded on Saturday a senior leader of Pasban and a local chief of the banned Hizbut Tehreer to police custody for interrogation.

Usman Moazzam, the general secretary of Pasban-e-Pakistan, a socio-political group, was handed over to the police in a case of facilitating terrorists after his 90-day preventive detention expired.

Moazzam, along with his son, was picked up by the Rangers during a raid at his house in Samanabad area on July 19. The paramilitary force did not claim his arrest so the family went to the high court seeking his whereabouts. Nearly after a month, he was produced before an anti-terrorism court and subsequently grilled for three months. His son is, however, still missing.



According to the FIR lodged against him, he instigated terrorism and harboured criminals. It is the third such case registered against politicians in the city. He has been handed over to police on physical remand for two weeks.

Meanwhile, the same court sent the city chief of banned Hizbut Tehreer, Hisam Qamar, to police custody for a month. Qamar, a deputy general manager at the K-Electric, was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department in a raid at his residence. He has been accused of instigating people, especially young minds, against the country's laws and mode of governance.

Hizb is an international political movement believing in uniting the Muslims of the world under one umbrella. It advocates the creation of a consolidated Islamic state, not to be confused with terror group Daesh. For its anti-state preaching, it has been proscribed in the country since military dictator Pervez Musharraf’s era.



According to a police officer investigating the case, the Hizb still continues to work but secretly. "This organisation has a strong network in educational institutions and emphasises on shaping young minds on its ideology," he added. "Its members are believed to be very sharp in arguing as they are made to read specific literature and attend secret gatherings regularly."