RAWALPINDI, Aug 3: Anti Terrorist Court (ATC) No. 2 Special Judge Sakhi Mohammad Kahot on Friday granted bail to former Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz in a case related to inciting people against government, while five alleged rioters were also granted bail in a case registered against them on July 27.

It was alleged in the case registered with Aabpara police station that on August 5, 2005 the Maulana gathered some 500 students in Lal Masjid where already some 1200 people were present and gave fiery speeches against the government and distributed pamphlets containing hate material. The Maulana was declared proclaimed offender in the case.

The judge granted bail against the surety bond of Rs50,000. The lawyer of Maulana had pleaded that Imam Masjid was allowed by the Islamabad Administration to use loud speaker for religious sermons on Fridays.

In another case the judge awarded bail to five persons against the surety bonds of Rs40,000 each. Nazakat, Sadaqat, Shaukat, Sherbaz and Naveed were arrested on July 27 after the clash between the supporter of Maulana Aziz and police over the appointment of a Khateeb by the government.

The judge reserved the orders regarding the bail application of Wajheeullah, a seminary student and associate of Hashmat Habib counsel for Maulana Aziz, in three different cases relating to Lal Masjid incident, and would announce the decision on August 4.

Hearing in four other cases relating to Lal Masjid was put off by the judge till August 17. Jail authorities produced three accused in the murder case of Rangers’ soldier registered with PS Abpara, four Jamia Faridia students in police personnel abduction case registered with PS Kohsar and nine accused in the Chinese masseur abduction case registered with PS Margalla. They were returned with out any further proceedings.

Khalid Khawaja an ex-ISI official also arrested in connection with the murder of a soldier of Rangers was also produced in the ATC. The case was deferred till August 17 while the court would take up his bail application on Saturday in the same case.

Wife of Mr Khawaja talking to media outside the court claimed that she met President Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML) Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Secretary General PML Syed Mushahid Hussain on August 2 and they said Mr Khawaja was with them discussing the imminent Lal Masjid operation on July 3 whereas the police asserted he was in Lal Masjid on that day.

She further said that the Supreme Court on July 4 assured her that Mr Khalid would not be arrested again but he was captured from his residence on July 6 in sheer violation of the court orders.