PESHAWAR, July 11: A court on Thursday granted bail to 35 people who were arrested on their return from Afghanistan.

The court of Judicial Magistrate Hafiz Naseem Akber accepted the  bail applications and directed that the accused should be released after furnishing two sureties each of Rs100,000.

The accused, mostly belonging to Malakand, had crossed into Afghanistan with hundreds of Tehrik Nifaz—i-Shariat Muhammadi activists to support the Taliban against the United States attack.

The applicants were arrested in Afghanistan. Later, the Afghan  government released them and they were airlifted to Peshawar in April.

The accused, Abdullah, Masood, Fazal Raheem, Sahibullah, Muhammad Yasir and others, on their return were charged under Section 4 of the Passport Act, Section 14 of the Foreign Act and Sections 107/143/148 and 123 of Pakistan Penal Code.

Advocates Zaffar Abbas Mirza, Zafarullah, Muhammad Daud Burq, Mubarik Zaib and Tajuddin appeared for the applicants and stated that they were charged with bailable offences.

They said that during investigation the government had not found anything objectionable against the applicants. They added that the applicants were not required in any other case.

A similar case pertaining to bail of 93 other people will be taken up for hearing on July 18 by Judicial Magistrate Adil Akber Khan. Advocate Lateef Afridi will appear on their behalf.

It is learnt that the remaining prisoners arrested on their return  from Afghanistan will also file bail applications.