Pakistan extends Masood’s detention, court grants bail

Pakistan Government has extended the detention of Masood Azhar, leader of the banned militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad, for another 90 days ev...

Pakistan Government has extended the detention of Masood Azhar, leader of the banned militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad, for another 90 days even as a court granted him bail stating there were no grounds for his confinement.

The home secretary of Punjab province extended Azhar’s detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), reports from Dera Gazi Khan said. Azhar, who faces more than six criminal cases under the Arms Act, is at present detained in New Central Jail in his home town, Bahawalpur. He was released by the Indian Government in Dec. 1999 in exchange for release of passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane from Kathmandu.

The extension of his detention followed Additional Sessions Judge Zulfiqar Khan Nasir’s decision to grant him bail against his preventive detention. Azhar, who was taken into preventive custody in December last under MPO and Arms Ordinance Act following allegations of his group’s involvement in the Dec. 13 suicide attack on Parliament, was ordered to be released against a surety bond of Rs 30,000. His group was subsequently banned by President Musharraf in February this year.

Azhar’s release on Tuesday followed after he moved a bail application stating he had been arrested illegally, the daily News said. The judge said records had revealed that there was no law and order problem created as a result of the alleged speech delivered by Azhar and hence there was no violation of the conditions envisaged in MPO as stated in the FIR, it said.