LAHORE, Dec 14: A review board of the Lahore High Court on Saturday refused to further extend the detention of Jaish-i-Muhammad Ameer Maulana Masood Azhar under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

While disallowing an application of the state seeking a 90-day extension in his detention under MPO, the review board comprising Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jilani, Justice Raja Muhammad Sabir and Justice Najamuz Zaman observed that there was no incriminating evidence available on record to suggest that the Maulana was involved in any anti-state activity.

The review board further observed that the state had failed to establish that during his one-year long detention, the Maulana had ever indulged, directly or indirectly, in any activity which could lead to a law and order situation.

The review board had extended the detention of Maulana Azhar for three months on Sept 16 this year and this extension was to expire on Sunday (today) midnight. He had to be produced one day ahead of the scheduled hearing owing to the weekend holiday coinciding with the date of hearing.

Earlier, Bahawalpur Divisional Police Officer presented an application to the court saying the denial in extension of the Maulana’s detention could result in a severe law and order situation and it would be in the prime interest of the state that his detention for another 90 days be extended.

To a query from the board, the DPO conceded that following his detention on Dec 2, 2001, at his residence in Bahawalpur, he had not been found to be involved in a terrorist or any other criminal activity. He further acknowledged that no case implicating the Maulana in any criminal activity had been registered against him during this period.

Maulana Masood Azhar argued before the board that he was a peace-loving person and was not involved in any activity which could challenge the sovereignty of Pakistan.

He alleged that he had been wrongly detained by the state and his fundamental right of liberty to move had been deliberately usurped. He said he had been delivering lectures on Quran to the people coming to see him during his detention and considered himself to be quite fortunate to have done this humble service.

Maulana Azhar was produced before the review board under strict security measures by the home department functionaries and was immediately taken away to an unknown place after the conclusion of proceedings.