12 January 2004	Monday	19 Ziqa'ad 1424

MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 11: Former AJK minister and Pakistan Peoples Party's leader Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin was released by the AJK government on Sunday from the Kotli jail reportedly under pressure of different quarters.

The PPP leader who was arrested on Jan 5 under the charges of possessing and displaying illegal arms had refused to apply for a bail. Police on Saturday sought extension of his remand, but the judge refused to oblige them and held that the detained leader should be released against the surety of Rs50,000.

However, Chaudhry Yasin refused to deposit the amount of surety. The amount was deposited by Muslim Conference lawyer Chaudhry Mohammad Yousaf who is said to be a close associate of Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan.

Sources close to Chaudhry Yasin told Dawn that the prime minister had been criticised for the "unjustified and politically motivated arrest of their leader." SP Kotli Raja Abdul Razzaq said the other 33 detainees, including six from the ruling Muslim Conference, were still under detention.