Sipah Sahaba Pakistan leader Maulana Azam Tariq. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand gave Mohsin Naqvi benefit of doubt to order his release.
Meanwhile, Judge Arjumand upheld the permanent arrest warrants of other four suspects in the case and ordered to close the file until they were arrested or surrendered.
Another suspect in the case, Sibtain Kazmi had already been acquitted earlier while a review petition against it was under proceeding in IHC.
An ATC had acquitted Sibtain Kazmi in March 2018 of involvement in the assassination of MNA Maulana Azam Tariq in 2003.
Kazmi was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency from Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad on May 11, 2017 while en route to UK and was tried in the ATC.
Tariq was shot dead in October 2003 on the outskirts of Islamabad while he was returning from Jhang.
He was then a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan as well as a leader of the banned and defunct outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.
A case was registered by Tariq’s brother at Golra Police Station in which Kazmi was identified as the primary suspect. Following this, the government had also announced a reward of Rs1 million for his arrest.
Drugs on campus
Islamabad High Court (IHC) has summoned Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Director General (DG) Major General Arif Malik in person over drug use in educational institutions of federal capital.
The court has also directed Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hamza Shafqat to submit a report on measures taken to curb drug supply in schools in the next hearing.
Justice Amir Farooq heard the case on petition filed by Lucky Foundation on Thursday in which DC Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat appeared personally.
During the hearing, the court directed the counsel representing Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PIERA) to include directives against drug use in the regulations to which the lawyer replied that they were taking measures for it.
The counsel for petitioner told the court that Higher Education Commission (HEC) had not submitted a report on the issue so far while the Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Raja Khalid said that the related institutions of education ministry had submitted the report.
The court asked DC whether the district officials were unaware of everything to which he replied that they were trying to reduce supply and demand of drugs. The court remarked that the administration was showing leniency to the big fish and only catching the smaller ones. Justice Farooq added, “I have been hearing of bails in drug cases for last four years. Why only the drugs in small shopping bags were caught.”
Judge observed that it was the responsibility of the administration to work for curbing drug use in educational institutions irrespective of whether the matter was in the court or not. The court adjourned the case for four weeks.
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