Hate speech: ASWJ activist challenges his conviction by ATC

Farooqi approaches court asking that the recent punishment awarded to him by ATC be nullified and he be granted bail

RAWALPINDI:

The former Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) Rawalpindi president has challenged his six-month prison sentence in the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench.

Mufti Tanveer Alam Farooqi has approached the court asking that the recent punishment awarded to him by the anti-terrorism court (ATC) for hate speech and possession of weapons be nullified and he be granted bail. Justice Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Shahid Abbasi have fixed the petition for hearing and sought the complete record of the case.

The ASWJ Rawalpindi president was imprisoned for six months and fined Rs50,000 earlier this month. The leader of the proscribed party was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) from Taxila in June this year.

Read: Former ASWJ Rawalpindi president sentenced to jail for 6 months

Mufti Amanullah murder

A high court division bench has also accepted the bail plea of prime accused Syed Qalbe Sadiq in the killing of Mufti Amanullah and sought the case record. Amanullah, deputy caretaker of Taleemul Quran seminary in Raja Bazaar, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen near Wapda Gate on Dhamial Road in the limits of RA Bazaar Police Station on September 21, 2014.

Amanullah, also a member of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, had gone to lay the foundation stone of a madrassa in Khurram Colony when he was ambushed on his way back. The police said Amanullah was travelling on a motorcycle along with one of his companions when two unidentified men opened fire on them. The deceased was the son of Maulana Ashraf Ali, caretaker of the Taleemul Quran Madrassa.

Aurangzeb Farooqi hearing

In a separate case, an ATC adjourned the hearing against ASWJ general secretary Aurangzeb Farooqi in a hate speech case filed against him by the CTD. Witnesses have been directed to appear at the next hearing on October 21. Authorities presented Farooqi in court amid tight security.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2015.