A three-member review board of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday denied a request by the Punjab government for an extension in the detention of Malik Muhammad Ishaq, the leader of the banned Lahskar-e-Jhangvi outfit, and ordered his release.
The review board hearing the matter, comprising Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice Sheikh Ahmad Farooq, observed that the Home Department had failed to provide any substance required for extending the detention. Ishaq was produced before the board under tight security on Friday for the proceedings. The additional home secretary requested the board to extend Ishaq’s detention, set to expire on January 25, for another month but Ishaq opposed the request. The board heard the arguments and did not agree with the government’s request and denied the extension.
Ishaq was released on July 14, 2011, after being imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail for 14 years. Later, the Punjab government detained him in a Rahim Yar Khan prison for 10 days under the Maintenance of Public Order, which was extended further for 60 days on October 25. According to the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance of 1960, the Home Department can detain a person for up to three months if they could create a law and order situation upon release. According to Section 5 of the ordinance, no person can be detained for a period exceeding three months unless a judicial board has reviewed the case and concluded that there is sufficient cause for such detention to continue. Ishaq was involved in 44 cases, but was convicted in only two and sentenced to one-and-a- half and five years in prison respectively. He was acquitted in 34 cases and granted bail in seven cases, while one case was discharged.
ISHAQ ACCUSED IN BLAST CASE: Meanwhile, APP reported that Khanpur police had registered a case against 15 people for their alleged involvement in the January 15 bomb blast at a chehlum procession, and Ishaq was among the accused.
