Under review: Lashkar-i-Jhangvi chief to be set free soon
The government failed to justify an extension of his detention.
LAHORE:
A three-member review board of the Lahore High Court dismissed the provincial government’s application on Monday seeking an extension of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi leader Malik Ishaq’s detention. Ishaq has been detained for the past six months.
The Home Department detained him on July 4 under the maintenance of public order law for inciting violence through hate speech.
After 90 days the provincial government produced Ishaq before the LHC’s review board and asked for an extension of 90 days.
As the extension is about to expire, the government once again produced him before the review board on Monday requesting an extension.
The request was denied as the government failed to provide reasonable justification for the extension of detention.
On May 28, due to lack of evidence, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi had acquitted Ishaq of charges of inciting violence.
Ishaq was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US State Department earlier this year. He heads Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, an organisation accused of spearheading attacks against the Shia community. Despite being officially banned in 2001, the group has been operating openly across the country particularly in the Punjab.
Ishaq was produced before the board on Monday amid tight security.
No journalists or litigants were allowed in the court room though the proceedings were held in the chamber of Court Room Number 2.
The board asked the government of the Punjab to deal with him according to law.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2014.
A three-member review board of the Lahore High Court dismissed the provincial government’s application on Monday seeking an extension of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi leader Malik Ishaq’s detention. Ishaq has been detained for the past six months.
The Home Department detained him on July 4 under the maintenance of public order law for inciting violence through hate speech.
After 90 days the provincial government produced Ishaq before the LHC’s review board and asked for an extension of 90 days.
As the extension is about to expire, the government once again produced him before the review board on Monday requesting an extension.
The request was denied as the government failed to provide reasonable justification for the extension of detention.
On May 28, due to lack of evidence, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi had acquitted Ishaq of charges of inciting violence.
Ishaq was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US State Department earlier this year. He heads Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, an organisation accused of spearheading attacks against the Shia community. Despite being officially banned in 2001, the group has been operating openly across the country particularly in the Punjab.
Ishaq was produced before the board on Monday amid tight security.
No journalists or litigants were allowed in the court room though the proceedings were held in the chamber of Court Room Number 2.
The board asked the government of the Punjab to deal with him according to law.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2014.