Lahore: A Pakistani court on Friday remanded Malik Ishaq, the chief of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, to judicial custody for 14 days, a day after he was arrested on his return to the country from Saudi Arabia.
The court of the judicial magistrate in Model Town area of Lahore sent Ishaq to the Kot Lakhpat Jail after a preliminary hearing.
Ishaq was produced in court amidst tight security.
Security agencies yesterday arrested Ishaq as he returned to Pakistan after performing the Umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia in violation of his bail.
Geo News channel reported that Ishaq was detained in Saudi Arabia and brought back to Pakistan.
There was no official word in this regard.
Following his arrest, Ishaq was taken to an undisclosed location for questioning.
Police officials said he was arrested in connection with a case registered against him at a police station in Lahore in August for making a speech that incited hatred against Shias.
Security sources told a news agency that Ishaq had violated his bail by travelling to Saudi Arabia about a week before the Eid-ul-Fitr festival.
In January last year, a provincial review board comprising judges of the Lahore High Court turned down Punjab Police`s request for Ishaq`s continued detention and ordered his release.
After being imprisoned for 14 years, Ishaq was released from Kot Lakhpat Jail in July last year when he was granted bail by the Supreme Court.
While still in prison, he was accused of masterminding the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore that killed eight persons.
After Ishaq`s release, Pakistan saw a surge in the killing of Shias across the country and Shia organisations blamed him for the violence.
After recent killings of Shias, pressure had increased on the Punjab government to act against Ishaq, who continued making speeches inciting violence against Shias. Ishaq was charged in 44 cases but convicted in only two, for which he received prison terms totalling six-and-half years.
He was acquitted in 34 cases and granted bail in seven others while one case was discharged.
He has been accused of involvement in the killing of at least 70 people, a majority of them Shias.
The LeJ chief had been in jail since 1997, when he was arrested for allegedly killing 12 members of Fida Hussain Ghalvi`s family.
He was accused of killing 58 others in separate incidents of sectarian violence.
Ishaq, one of the founders of the LeJ, was granted bail by the apex court after the prosecution failed to prove his involvement in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team.
However, reports by intelligence and law enforcement agencies have stated that Ishaq is still engaged in "highly objectionable activities" that could trigger sectarian violence in Punjab.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.