Provocative speech: ASWJ leader Malik Ishaq granted bail

Division bench headed by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar grants bail subject to furnishing 2 bail bonds of Rs200,000 each.

LAHORE:

A Lahore High Court division bench on Thursday granted bail to Malik Ishaq, leader of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, in two cases where is he accused of delivering provocative speeches.

The division bench headed by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar granted the bail subject to furnishing two bail bonds of Rs200,000 each. In the morning session on Thursday, the court had reserved judgment on the bail application after hearing the arguments. Ishaq’s counsel such FIRs were registered on applications of aggrieved parties, but in this case the police registered FIRs on its own to victimise him over his religious views.

He said Ishaq was detained in April 2013 under the Maintenance of Public Order and arrested in June under these FIRs. He asked the court to grant him bail.

Bhakkar investigation police officer said they had lodged two cases against Ishaq accused on August 8, 2012 and February 2, 2013 for making provocative speeches at public gatherings.

He said the petitioner had tried to spread hatred and to create unrest in the area.

Two officers summoned over subordinate’s conduct

Justice Maqbool Bajwa of the Lahore High Court on Thursday summoned two officers of the Revenue Department over a tehsildar’s behaviour. Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa summoned additional district revenue collector Muhammad Irfan Memon and an assistant commissioner for a hearing on Friday (today) at 8am.

The order was issued after a naibe tehsildar appeared before the court and informed that the tehsildar was on his way. The judge remarked, “One can well imagine the conduct and behaviour of the tehsildar.” The court had summoned tehsildar Muhammad Shafiq Chishti for Thursday in a complaint for not registering a mutation, despite the court orders. Muhammad Hafeez had filed the petition, saying a civil judge on February 15 had declared his family legal heirs of his deceased brother. He said when they went to the patwari for the mutation, he refused to register it. He said they approached the tehsildar and the assistant commissioner but to no avail.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2014.