PESHAWAR, Oct 26: After rejection of his pre-arrest bail petition by a court in Bannu district, chief of a non-governmental organisation, Professor Ismael was arrested on Thursday on charges of hurting religious sentiments of a leader of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam.

The court of additional district and sessions judge pronounced that the accused-applicant was not entitled to pre-arrest bail.

The applicant, who is chief of an organisation RISE, was nominated in an FIR lodged by a leader of JUI (F), Maulana Naseeb Ali Shah, on Aug 26, 2000.

The applicant had addressed a seminar on Peace and Disarmament last year, about two months before registration of the FIR, in which he had explained the concept of Jihad in Islam and had opposed militancy.

However, as the religious circles in Bannu were opposed to the activities of NGOs, an FIR was registered by the JUI leader against the Professor under section 298-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, dealing with the hurting of religious sentiments of a person.

The case remained in cold storage, but two months back it resurfaced after differences emerged between the NWFP government and the applicant over the issue of sealing of the office of RISE in Swabi by the Governor’s Inspection Team.

Counsel of the accused-applicant argued before the court that he was falsely implicated in the instant case and he had not delivered anything unusual which could hurt sentiments of the complainant. He contended that as the applicant was having differences with the government, he had been victimised.

The counsel asked, how come after more than a year of the occurrence, the government had shaken off its slumber and dug out the case from its record. Prof Ismael also argued his case, stating that he was a victim of government highhandedness as his writ petition against the government was pending before the high court and he had not withdrawn it despite government pressure.