Home Latest News Malik Ishaq Set to be Freed on Thursday

Malik Ishaq Set to be Freed on Thursday

by AFP
Arif Ali—AFP

Arif Ali—AFP

Lahore High Court review panel decides against seeking extension of sectarian LeJ leader’s detention under maintenance of public order laws.

The leader of a banned Pakistani sectarian militant group is set to walk free from jail, officials said Tuesday, even as the government considers “radical changes” to tackle militancy after a Taliban school massacre.

Malik Ishaq, the head of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), which is dedicated to killing minority Shia Muslims, is expected to be released on Thursday after the Punjab government withdrew a request to extend his detention under public order laws.

The announcement comes less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pledged to eradicate the “cancer” of sectarianism and will add to concerns about the effectiveness of the government response.

LeJ has claimed responsibility for numerous bloody attacks, including two bombings targeting Shias in Quetta in 2013 that killed a total of nearly 200 people. A senior legal official said that the decision not to seek an extension of Ishaq’s detention was made by a three-judge review panel at Lahore High Court on Monday.

Ishaq was named as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” by the U.S. State Department earlier this year. An anti-terror court in May cleared him of inciting violence and of making speeches, which fomented hate, but he was held under maintenance of public order laws.

Pakistan has ramped up its anti-terror strategy since the Dec. 16 attack on an Army-run school in Peshawar which killed 149 people, 133 of them children. Six convicts have been hanged after Sharif lifted a moratorium on executions in terror cases, and the military has stepped up operations against insurgent bases in the tribal northwest.

Officials said Monday that Pakistan plans to execute around 500 militants in coming weeks. An official in Sharif’s office said Tuesday the prime minister had cleared his diary to focus on the terror response in meetings with ministers, legal advisers and military top brass.

“[He] will give the whole day to security and radical changes/reforms which are being considered,” the official said.

The consultations come a week after heavily armed gunmen stormed the school in Pakistan’s deadliest ever terror attack. Sharif hinted the military operation could be extended against “the enemy who is hidden in our cities and villages,” in a statement issued late on Monday. “Terrorism and sectarianism is like a cancer for Pakistan and now is high time we got rid of this menace,” he said in the statement.

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6 comments

Hassan Jawad December 23, 2014 - 3:56 pm

Still we put the blame of all terrorist events on Yahood-o-Nasara (Christians & Jews), shame on such hypocrisy of this government and all sympathizers of Taliban.

Reply
Najmi December 23, 2014 - 6:21 pm

Shame on pakistan’s govt and judiciary for releasing this terrorist knowing what all he’s done then why blame yahood-o- Nasra. Allah give brains to the muslims

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shasan December 24, 2014 - 7:56 am

“Pakistan has ramped up its anti-terror strategy since the Dec. 16 attack on an Army-run school in Peshawar which killed 149 people, 133 of them children.” And that is why this terrorist is walking free?

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Pakistani December 24, 2014 - 1:32 pm

It would be good if the civil society file a case in Supreme Court or Islamic Shariah courts giving strong quranic and hadith reference as evidence that Suicidal killing is un-Islamic and hence anyone supporting it or encouraging the act ( from masjids or political grps or otherwise) must be prosecuted for defaming Islam and hence will be considered Blasphemous

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imtiaz ul haq December 25, 2014 - 5:36 am

Pakistani govt setfreed gulam raza naqvi a most senior terrorest of sipah e muhammad a shia banned outfit party.
Irani govt involved in sectarian terror in pakistan’proved by investigation teams ‘but pak govt step down against irani shia inqlabi govt.we condem it.

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Mehvish Ali December 25, 2014 - 6:47 pm

Shame on the gov… Arrest Him and Hang Him!!!

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