LAHORE, Aug 30: A provincial review board consisting of three judges of the Lahore High Court on Friday extended for a month the detention of Zubair alias Naik Muhammad, who has been linked to the gun attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore a couple of years ago. The board heard arguments of the Punjab government and the counsel for the detainee.

A section officer of the home department also appeared before the board and pleaded government’s case. The detainee was also produced before the board.

The counsel for the accused argued that police failed to prove his client’s involvement in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team and the trial court granted him bail. He said the law enforcement agencies were victimising his client although he had nothing to do with any terrorism activities.

The representative of the home department told the review board that an appeal against the bail granted to the accused was pending adjudication before a high court bench. He said more terrorism incidents were feared if the accused was released therefore extension in his detention period was necessary, he added.

The board headed by Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh accepted government’s request and extended the suspect’s detention for one month.