MANSEHRA, July 9: A local anti-terrorism court on Monday granted bail to 37 clerics and students of various seminaries. Their arrest followed attacks on the offices of non-governmental organisations and the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (Erra) and a police checkpoint in the Ghazikot Township, it is learnt.

The accused furnished two sureties Rs30,000 each with their bail applications.

Hundreds of the angry protesters had set fire to the checkpoint and ransacked the offices of NGOs in Ghazikot Township on July 3 in the aftermath of the Lal Masjid operation.

In a midnight crackdown, the law-enforcement agencies personnel arrested 37 clerics and students of various seminaries and registered cases against them under section 6/7 of the Anti-terrorism Act.

Advocate Muhammad Arshid appeared on behalf of the accused and argued that on the basis of evidence on record the accused deserved bail.