ISLAMABAD: A local court on Saturday issued non-bailable warrants for Maulana Abdul Aziz, Khateeb of Lal Masjid, and four witnesses, including a police officer.

The orders were passed after the court found the above mentioned individuals absent during the proceedings of a case involving harassment of owners of CD shops.

Important to note that after acquittal from 26 cases, the only case pending against Maulana Aziz is the said case, which is also in its final stage.

Shehzad Khan civil judge cum judicial magistrate resumed hearing of the case registered against Maulana Aziz and his other associates in April 2007 for threatening the owners of CD shops and forcibly closing their businesses in F-7 Markaz and Aabpara Market.

The order was passed, when during the hearings, it transpired that neither Maulana Aziz nor any of the witnesses, including a deputy superintendent of police Mohammad Ashraf Shah were present in the court.

The judge expressed annoyance over the absence of the accused and the witnesses of the case and issued the warrants.

However, Maulana Wajihullah, counsel of Maulana Aziz, appeared before the judge and informed that the cleric because of other engagements was not in Islamabad and, therefore, could not appear in the court.

The counsel assured the court that Maulana Aziz would appear in the court on the next date of hearing.

The judge, however, issued the non-bailable arrest warrants for Maulana Aziz as well as for the witnesses and adjourned the matter till February 14.

It may be mentioned that Maulana Aziz has been acquitted in over two dozen cases in the last couple of years.

These cases were registered against the cleric in 2007, when relations between Lal Masjid and the government deteriorated and led to the July 3 operation.

Among them the famous cases registered against the cleric were of abducting Aunti Shamim and her daughter, abduction of police officials and seizing of official vehicles, launching FM Radio without obtaining prior permission of the government, CD burning case, killing of a Rangers official and sabotaging and damaging government property.