ISLAMABAD, Feb 25: A religious zealot scared journalists to death, and landed himself in police lock-up, by announcing at a press conference here on Sunday that he was going to blow himself up.

“Recite Kalima and be prepared to die as I am strapped with explosives and going to blow myself up,” the man declared barging into the press conference at the Rawalpindi- Islamabad Press Club camp office at Melody.

His words made the nearly 50 journalists and laid off workers of the Zarai Taraqqiati Bank (ZTBL) who were addressing the press conference to stampede.

Several were injured in the melee and by the window glass they broke in the rush.

However when no explosion followed, some people mustered the courage to catch the self-proclaimed suicide bomber and shouted for the policemen standing at a distance. After some hesitation they arrived and took the man into custody.

The scary but fake suicide bomber turned out to be Aziz Hassan, an assistant lineman of Wapda holding an M.Sc degree.

Police Sub-inspector Sajid Ikram said people who had ran away returned finding it safe. “He is mentally unstable and was there to protest the desecration of the names of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) published in the newspapers which are thrown away carelessly,” the police officer said.

However, the man, who belongs to NWFP has been locked up and a case registered against him, the officer said.—Staff Reporter