ISLAMABAD, March 28: Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) leader Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Ludhianvi was released from police custody on bail in the early hours of Wednesday.

He had been detained in the Industrial Area police station on Tuesday night under PPC 188 (on violation of Section PPC 144).

Earlier, politician Ijazul Haq, ASWJ leader Fazalur Rehman Khalil and Abdullah Gul, son of Lt-Gen (retired) Hamid Gul, brought Maulana Ludhianvi to the police station after getting assurance from the police and administration that he would neither be arrested nor detained. But, legal formalities would be carried out for face saving of the police and administration, it was decided.

The police registered a case and the city administration later granted him bail. However, when Interior Minister Rehman Malik got information about the bail, he blocked the bail orders.

Delay in the release of Maulana Ludhianvi provoked the activists of ASWJ, who created law and order situation on I.J. Principal Road and set tyres on fire.

After offering Tahajud prayers, Maulana Ludhianvi inquired from the police as well as the administration about his release, but he got no reply and continued to remain in detention till Fajr prayers.

After the activists started marching towards the police station from I.J. Principal Road, the interior minister was approached by the administration and police and informed about the consequences of detaining Maulana Ludhianvi.

On getting permission from the minister, a court was set up in the police station which heard the proceeding of the case registered with Industrial Area police station. A lawyer argued the case and later Maulana Ludhianvi was granted bail on two surety bonds each worth Rs50,000.

The office of the city administration was also opened to issue the bail orders with the official seal of the officer concerned, and finally Maulana Ludhianvi was released.