LAHORE, June 2: The Kot Lakhpat Jail authorities on Monday night released Dr Ahmad Javed Khwaja and Ahmad Naveed Khwaja following the lapse of over 48 hours when the federal review board refused to extend their preventive detention and ordered their release on Saturday.

Khwajas’ counsel Pervez Inayat Malik told Dawn that both the detainees were finally handed over to him by the SHO Manawaan Police Station at 9:30 pm on Monday outside the jail premises after being detained for five and a half month. They were taken into custody on Dec 30, 2002 from their residence at Manawaan area on suspicion of harbouring Al Qaeda activists.

According to the counsel, following their release, the Khwajas were received warmly by their relatives who had gathered outside the jail premises since 6:00pm.

When inquired if he was shown any written orders for the Khwajas’s release by the jail authorities, Mr Malik said: “No such orders were shown to me. Rather the SHO Abrar came up to me with the two brothers and handed them over to me saying both were free now.”

While giving further details, the counsel disclosed that a contingent of five police officials with the SHO Manawaan Police Station arrived at the jail premises at 7:45pm. “Though reliable sources had already confirmed to me that Khwajas were to be released today, yet the moment the police contingent arrived, I started sensing the release shortly,” he added. The counsel quoted the jail authorities as saying that this contingent was summoned for security reasons as they had decided to hand over the Khwajas directly to the Manawaan SHO.

According to the counsel, the jail authorities had barricaded the road leading to the main gate of the jail owing to security concerns.

Later on, Mr Malik was approached by the security officials asking him to request the pressmen to move away from the barricaded entrance. Upon the counsel’s request, the pressmen moved back and within 15 minutes, the SHO appeared with the two Khwaja brothers.