RAWALPINDI:
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday acquitted the chief cleric of Lal Masjid and 16 other persons in a case on the killing of a Rangers official, five years after the trial began.
Special ATC Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman acquitted 17 accused, including Maulana Abdul Aziz Ghazi, in the murder case of Lance Naik Mubarak Hussain. In his short order, the judge said the prosecution failed to prove its case against the accused persons.
The other acquitted persons included Aziz’s wife Umme Hasan, their daughter Tayyaba Dua, Aziz’s brother, Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, who was killed during operation, Rasheed’s wife Humaira Ghazi and teachers and students of Jamia Faridia.
The trial court had already declared four accused — Abu Bakar, Mujeebur Rehman, Muhammad Saeed and Muhammad Imran — as proclaimed offenders after they failed to appear in court.
Aziz had been granted bail in 2008 along with other accused members of his family.
Speaking after the decision, Aziz called his acquittal “a victory for the truth”, while adding, “The students at the mosque were targeted by [former] President Pervez Musharraf for disagreeing with the policies of the government.”
Defence lawyer Advocate Wajihuddin said that there were five more cases against the students and clerics of Lal Masjid pending in other courts of Islamabad, including the kidnappings of a woman and two policemen by Jamia Faridia students.
“As soon as Maulana Aziz is acquitted in the other cases, proper legal action will be initiated against former President Musharraf,” he said.
Maulana Aziz was accused of urging his students to attack the security forces and of abetting the murder of Hussain.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2012.
COMMENTS (3)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Is he the same "great mujahid" who was caught wearing a burqa?
Both Rawalpindi and Islamabad is under the control of these Clerics, Judiciary and their well known backers. No one can bring any change in the country unless unholy nexus is not removed between this trinity. They are only to rule on us through different formations and tactics. Change at national level with the participation of all citizens can only bring relief to common person on the streets. Role model of Turkey and Egypt is teasing us. They are Muslim countries mind you all.
A guy who was threatening with suicide bombings throughout Pakistan on a televised Friday sermon is acquitted by the courts. This judiciary's penchant for patronizing terrorists is sickening.