LAHORE: A sessions court on Wednesday confirmed interim pre-arrest bail of three sons of former Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) leader Mufti Azizur Rehman, an accused of sexually abusing a student of his madressah, in a case of frustrating arrest of their father and extending threats to the complainant.

Latifur Rehman, Waseemur Rehman and Wasiur Rehman appeared before Additional District & Sessions Judge Nauman Muhammad Naeem along with their lawyers.

The investigating officer told the court that the petitioners had joined the investigation, which had also been completed.

The judge confirmed the pre-arrest bail of the trio subject to furnishing of the bail bonds.

North Cantonment police had registered a FIR on charges of sexual assault and criminal intimidation against Mufti Rehman on the complaint of Sabir Shah, the student of Jamia Manzoorul Islam, Cantonment.

The cleric went into hiding after the registration of the case as police arrested him from Mianwali on Sunday.

The student/complainant had shared a video clip of the sexual assault as a proof with police and the administration of the seminary. The clip took social media by storm with growing calls for strict action.

In his complaint the student alleged that Mufti Rehman got him and another student expelled on the charge of cheating in examinations of Wafaqul Madaris for three years.

He said he pleaded with the Mufti to allow him to take the examination by removing charges against him, but he sought sexual favours for doing so. “I had no option but to submit to his demand,” he said.

VENDOR: A sessions court on Wednesday confirmed interim pre-arrest bail of a vendor in a case of selling ‘cheap’ vegetables.

Raiwind police had registered the FIR against Muhammad Waqas, the vendor, on charges of selling vegetables at inflated prices. However, typographical error made the charges in the FIR as selling the vegetables on cheap prices.

Additional District & Sessions Judge Sahir Islam confirmed the bail of the petitioner.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2021