Arrest Aziz campaign: Addition of terror charges demanded

Protest outside Aabpara Police Station; cops refer new application to legal wing.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Police have decided to consult its legal wing before incorporating Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) clauses to an FIR lodged earlier by civil society activists against the chief cleric of Lal Masjid.

Amied continuing protest, political activist Jibran Nasir Monday filed an application with the police seeking incorporation of three ATA clauses in the FIR lodged against controversial cleric Abdul Aziz.

Nearly two hundred members of civil society and rights activists gathered in front of Aabpara Police Station on Monday to condemn the Peshawar carnage and demand ‘fast tracking of investigations into Aziz’s conduct and his arrest’.

The original FIR contains charges of criminal intimidation of civil society members who had gathered near Lal Masid on Thursday night to condemn the Army Public School attack.

“Through an application, we have demanded that the police incorporate clauses 6, 7 and 8 of the Anti Terrorism Act to the FIR...for instigating religious sentiments on sectarian grounds, religious hatred and issuing life threats,” said Barrister Qasim Wadood, a civil society activist.

It is worth remembering that Jibran Nasir, who is spearheading the campaign against the firebrand cleric, had received a threatening call on Monday, where the caller had identified himself as Ehsanullah Ehsan, the spokesperson of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan splinter group Jamaat Ahrar.

“I was asked to back off as it could endanger my life and of my family,” Jibran told The Express Tribune. A recording of the call has been handed over to the police as evidence. Investigators are still trying to authenticate the threat.

In his application, Jibran wrote that Ehsan threatened him on behalf Aziz. Meanwhile, a video of Aziz has also been submitted to the police, wherein Aziz is shown accusing a Shia Muslim group of being behind the public campaign against him.

Aabpara Station House Officer Khalid Mehmood Awan said the application had been received and the process for incorporation of ATA clauses had been initiated. “We will consult our legal team before adding the clauses,” Awan said.

He said the additional statement of prime witness Jibran Nasir had also been recorded.

Before peacefully dispersing from the protest venue, members of civil society reaffirmed their commitment to continue their struggle till Aziz was behind bars.

Representatives of the Awami National Party student wing also participated in the gathering and honour the second death anniversary of the late K-P MPA Bashir Bilour, a vocal critic of extremism who was assassinated in a suicide attack.

Eminent scholar Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy addressed the gathering, saying that Pakistanis would no longer tolerate terrorist supporters and sympathisers such as Aziz. He said that campaign would continue till mosques were freed from fundamentalist mindsets.

Senator Rubina Khalid called on the nation to stand tall and say ‘enough is enough.’ Addressing the gathering, she said that through their years of silence, major political parties had played their roles in the spread of terrorism in the country.

Anjum Hamid, a student of Quaid-e-Azam University commented that if the government wants to make the ongoing offensive against Taliban result-oriented, it should first deal with their sympathisers and supporters.

Musician Arieb Azhar said the countrymen had been living in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Azhar said the ongoing struggle was aimed at softening the hearts of people.

Sloganeering against the cleric, the Taliban and fundamental mindsets continued during the protest, which lasted for over two hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2014.