July 20, 2007	Friday	Rajab 04, 1428

RAWALPINDI, July 19: Anti Terrorist Court (ATC) No. 2 Special Judge Sakhi Mohammad Kahot on Thursday remanded Maulana Abdul Aziz in police custody for two more days, whereas the judge sent 40 students of Jamia Fareedia to Adiala Jail for 14 days on judicial remand.

The Islamabad police had sought five-day physical remand of the cleric in the murder case of a Pakistan Rangers’ soldier that was registered with the Aabpara police station.

Maulana Aziz was put on judicial remand in other cases including kidnapping of Chinese nationals and police personnel. He had also been involved in 35 cases under 12 FIRs registered with four different police stations in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the 40 students were allegedly involved in the police personnel’s abduction case registered with the Kohsar police station.

Hashmat Habib advocate also moved an application seeking bail for Umme Hassaan, wife of Maulana Abdul Aziz.

Mr Habib said it was near to impossible for the security agencies to recognise his client among the Burqa-clad students. They have falsely implicated her in the murder case and therefore she should be granted bail, he pleaded.

Maulana Aziz, while talking to media persons for a short time outside the court, rebutted the statement of Federal Religious Minister Ijazul Haq that the Ghazi brothers had threatened suicide attacks in the country if the crackdown on Lal Masjid was not halted.

He said the Lal Masjid administration did not have any connections with the recent wave of suicide attacks on the security forces. But Mr Haq may have some old connections with those involved in the suicide assaults, Maulana Aziz alleged.

Some of the detained students also had a conversation with the media. They said they surrender to the authorities after the announcements of general amnesty. “We were physically tortured despite the pledge of official pardon,” the seminary students claimed.