KARACHI: The administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts on Saturday remanded in police custody seven suspects detained for allegedly resorting to violence and attacking the policemen who attempted to arrest a prayer leader for violating government restrictions on Friday prayer congregation.

Police booked and arrested Rahim Dad Qadri, imam at Jamia Masjid Ghousia in Liaquatabad No 7, for allegedly allowing people to offer Friday prayer in the mosque despite a three-hour ban imposed by the provincial government to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

Several others, including the mosque’s administration members, were also booked for inciting worshipers to violence and assaulting the policemen to avoid arrest of the prayer leader.

On Saturday, the investigating officer produced the prayer leader along with six other suspects before the administrative judge of the ATCs in Karachi to seek their physical remand in police custody for interrogation and investigation.

The IO informed that the prayer leader and the members of the mosque’s administration allegedly allowed a large number of people to enter the mosque and offer prayer despite a three-hour complete ban imposed by the Sindh government in an attempt to stop the spread of Covid-19, thus they exposed people to enhanced risks of getting infected.

He further mentioned that after the policemen tried to stop the prayer leader and others, they allegedly incited the worshipers, who allegedly assaulted the policemen wounding three of them.

The enraged mob also resorted to violence, damaging some vehicles in the area, he added.

The IO informed that two other nominated suspects were yet to be arrested while investigation and other legal formalities were yet to be completed.

Therefore, he requested for 14-day physical remand of the suspects in police custody for interrogation and completion of investigation.

The judge remanded them in police custody till April 14 with the direction to the IO to produce them on the next date along with an investigation report.

A case was registered under Sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempt to murder), 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act on behalf of the state at the Liaquatabad police station.

Prayer leader, others granted bail

A judicial magistrate on Saturday granted post-arrest bail to the prayer leader and three others in a case pertaining to allegedly violating the government restrictions regarding Friday prayer congregation.

Police claimed to have booked and detained Abdul Habib, Mohammad Hanif, Abdul Rauf and Mufti Umar Farooq of the Bilal Masjid in New Karachi for allegedly violating the ban and risking lives of worshipers following fears of spread of the deadly virus.

On Saturday, the IO produced them before a judicial magistrate concerned to seek their physical remand in police custody for interrogation and investigation.

On the other hand, the suspects moved applications through their defence counsel pleading to the judge to grant them to post-arrest bail and order their release from police custody.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the magistrate granted bail to them against a surety of Rs5,000 each. The IO was directed to submit an investigation report on the next date.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020