LAHORE, Sept 10: An additional district and sessions judge on Monday granted bail to Malik Ishaq of banned outfit Lashkar-i-Jhangvi in case of delivering speeches allegedly based on religious hatred.

Model Town police had arrested Ishaq last week from Allama Iqbal International Airport on his return from Umrah. A case was already registered against him under Amplifier Act and other sections of Pakistan Penal Code at Model Town police station on a report of Special Branch.

According to the FIR, Malik Ishaq had delivered a provocative speech at a procession held at a village of Nishter Colony.

Representing the accused, Advocate Rana Arif argued that neither any independent complaint was filed against his client nor the alleged aggrieved party of his speeches approached the police for action. He said the police lodged the FIR merely on the report of Special Branch which showed mala fide of the government. The counsel requested the judge to release his client on bail and declare his arrest illegal.

After hearing the arguments, AD&SJ Nisar Ahmad allowed bail to Ishaq subject to furnishing of Rs500,000 bail bonds.

Bail extended: A special judge (central) on Monday extended pre-arrest bail of Special Branch Director Shahid Mahmood and two personnel Muhammad Azam and Ijaz Ahmad involved in a case of issuing false intelligence report about murder plot of former chief justice Khwaja Sharif.

The judge extended the concession of bail till Sept 14.

FIA had registered a case against them and others on charges of issuing a false intelligence report on the murder plot of the former chief justice. The agency accused them of hatching a conspiracy by managing issuance of a false intelligence report about the murder plot in a bid to create differences among the federal government, provincial government and the judiciary. — Staff Reporter