ISLAMABAD, March 1: The Rawalpindi bench of Lahore High Court has once again directed the deputy advocate-general of Punjab to explain the reasons behind the arrest of Al Qaeda-suspect Moazzam Beg “definitely on the 8th of this month”.

The court, comprising Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan, had earlier directed the government through the interior secretary to find out which of the law enforcement bodies had arrested Mr Beg and on what charges, having been informed that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) neither arrested the man nor knew about his whereabouts.

The judge in his Friday order expressed dismay on authorities’ failure to produce the accused before him.

The court was approached by local lawyer Nazir Ahmed through Advocate Abdul Rehman Siddiqui who claimed that Mr Beg had been picked up from his house in Sector I-10/2 in a joint operation of the ISI, IB and FIA “illegally and without lawful authority”.

The writ for habeas corpus maintained that ever since his arrest in early February, no specific allegation had been made against Mr Beg in violation of Articles 4, 9, 10 and 14 of the constitution as well as Section 60 of the CrPC.

The petition also denied the allegations that the detainee had committed any crime or had any relation with the Al-Qaeda network.