TIMERGARA, Feb 27: Jamaat-i-Islami deputy chief Sirajul Haq was detained briefly here on Wednesday for leading a protest demonstration more than four years ago against military operation in Bajaur Agency.

Sources said that a local court at Samar Bagh sent him to jail when he appeared before the court fort the first time since 2008 when the case was registered against him.

Police had charged him under sections 505 (2), 147, 149 and 341 CrPC when he led a protest demonstration on Nov 22, 2008 against the Bajaur operation.

Two other local leaders of JI — Izazul Mulk Afkari and Hidayatur Rehman — were also charged in the same case. However, Mr Rehman had got bail before arrest from the court while Sirajul Haq and Izazul Mulk had not appeared in the court.

Sirajul Haq was sent to Timergara jail on court order but he was later released on bail by the court of district and sessions judge.

Addressing a press conference after his release, Sirajul Haq accused the provincial government for registering fake cases against him in his native constituency.

He said that a fake case was registered against him by the provincial government in 2008. He said that the court had not issued him any directives before it. “I appeared before the court on Wednesday but the judge sent me to jail,” he said.

The JI leader said that he had respect for judiciary and obeyed its orders. He said that police kept him in dark about the case. He said that JI would continue its battle with enemies of the country if it came into power.

SNOW SPORTS: The concluding ceremony of the three-day Dir Snow Sports Festival at Shahi on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was postponed due to torrential rain and heavy snowfall.

The players taking part in the sports competition were sent to their area. The teams qualifying for final matches would be called back to the scenic snowy grounds of Shahi once the weather turned pleasant, the organisers said.

They told journalists by telephone that no match was played during the last two days due to continuous rain and heavy snowfall.

“The players will be called back for finals when the weather becomes pleasant,” they said.