Daily Times

Former Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz and four others were arrested on terrorist charges earlier this week after reportedly opening fire on police officers in the capital city.

Umme Hassan, the cleric’s wife, has also been charged with making threats to police. According to sources, the cases have been filed at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Kohsar police station.

Authorities have used sections 324 (attempt to commit murder), 7 (penalty for acts of terrorism), and 11E (measures to be taken against a proscribed organisation) of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

According to the FIR, Maulana Aziz and his associates stopped Jinnah Avenue and Fazl-e-Haq Road for more than six hours, forcing individuals to close their businesses.

It goes on to say that the cops later stopped a suspicious vehicle in the Melody neighbourhood. From inside the truck, three armed individuals opened fire on the police officers. According to the report, Aziz was also travelling in the vehicle and fired rounds at officers.

Following that, police apprehended three suspects, Murad Khan, Abrar Ahmad, and Sarfaraz Hussain, and recovered two machine guns from their hands.

Maulana Aziz and another man identified as driver Manzoor, on the other hand, managed to flee the scene.

It is recalled that Maulana Aziz has already been booked in several cases and was also included in the Fourth Schedule of the ATA.