September 23, 2007	Sunday	Ramazan 10, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Sept 22: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) here on Friday admitted the bail pleas of former Lal Masjid chief cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz in five more cases.

Judge Habibur Rehman directed the prosecution to submit relevant record of the cases in the court on September 27 for further proceedings.

Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui advocate moved the bail applications in the five cases registered with the Aabpara police in 2004 and 2007.

Maulana Aziz and some of the students of Jamia Fareediya had been booked for involvement in anti-state activities and for instigating people against the government.

Meanwhile, an additional district and sessions judge denied bail to three persons accused

of swindling 58 Chinese Muslims by promising them a visit to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage in early 2006.

Judge Shaukat Mehmood turned down the applications of National Peace Council chairman Allama Ayaz Zaheer Hashmi, AJK Muslim League Ulema and Mashaikh Wing Chairman Sahibzada Naeemur Rehman Naeemi and Mohammad Shakoor.

The court had sought the record of the case on Friday from the Federal Investigation Agency that had charged the three men with fraud and human smuggling.

According to the available details, the accused obtained some $20,000 from the Chinese Muslims to send them on pilgrimage but they disappeared in Karachi early in 2006, leaving the foreigners in the lurch.

After facing a lot of hardships, the Chinese came to Rawalpindi and protested against the fraud. Later the accused were arrested and the Chinese were sent to Saudi Arabia through funds raised by lawyers.—A Reproter