RAWALPINDI, July 28: Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) No. 2 Special Judge Sakhi Mohammad Kahot here on Saturday remanded 65 people, mostly seminary students, in police custody for two days.

These people were arrested on Friday in connection with the clashes between the police and the supporters of former chief cleric of Lal Masjid, Maulana Abdul Aziz, after they refused to offer Friday prayers led by a government-appointed Imam and forced him out of the mosque.

The detainees were produced in the ATC after the normal court timings and the Aabpara police SHO, Abdul Rasheed Khan Niazi, sought their 10-day physical remand on the ground that the police wanted to investigate about their accomplices and recover the sticks and other weapons from the accused. However, the court granted only a two-day physical remand.

These people have been booked on the charges of attempted murder, assault or use of criminal force to deter public servants, obstructing public servants in discharging duty, disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, mischief causing damage to public property, rioting armed with deadly weapons, unlawful assembly and terrorism.

The accused will again be produced before the court on Monday.

Meanwhile, the judge put off till August 18 the hearing in the police personnel abduction case registered with the Kohsar police against Mohammad Waqar, Mohammad Jamil, Mr Mohammad, the Jamia Fareedia students and Wajeehullah advocate also a seminary student and associate of the counsel for Maulana Aziz and his family, Hashmat Habib advocate.

The bail application of Maulana Aziz in the CDs burning case registered with the Bhara Kahu police would also be decided on Monday.

Hearing in the high profile case of a British national of Pakistani origin, Rashid Rauf (26), arrested for his alleged involvement in the plan to blow up Transatlantic flights between UK and USA, was deferred till Tuesday. The plot was foiled by the British security agencies. He was absolved of terrorism charges by the then judge of the same court last October.

The case gained prominence in recent past when Rauf’s lawyer asserted that his client would be extradited to UK in exchange for some members of banned Balochistan Liberation Army who had gone into hiding in UK.