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Pakistani court orders government to produce terror suspect
Islamabad, July 23: A Pakistani court ordered the authorities to hand over a 35-year-old Pakistani engineer allegedly picked up by intelligence agents because of suspected links with terrorist organizations, his lawyer said today.
Islamabad, July 23: A Pakistani court ordered the authorities to hand over a 35-year-old Pakistani engineer allegedly picked up by intelligence agents because of suspected links with terrorist organizations, his lawyer said today.
The order was issued yesterday, Aziz Siddiqi said.
His client, Ahzan Aziz, was apparently arrested May 30 from his home in Mirpur in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. His family said the men who arrested him were Pakistani intelligence agents.
The government has refused to confirm that Aziz is in custody.
The court ordered Aziz produced by Friday, Siddiqi said.
Siddiqi said Aziz had abandoned his profession as an engineer to devote his time to preaching Islam and traveled to Afghanistan during the rule of the hardline Taliban regime.
``He was never involved in any anti-state activity or terrorism,'' Siddiqi said.
Aziz' father, Abdul, said two other sons, both of whom are in the Pakistani military, said they were told Aziz was in police custody.
His father said Aziz has links to the Taliban. During the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan, Aziz brought relief goods collected in Mirpur to Afghanistan, he said.
``It is not a crime to teach the Quran or have ties with Ulema (Islamic scholars),'' he added.
A U.S.-led coalition dismantled the Taliban rule in Afghanistan because it harboured al-Qaida, the terror network blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
His client, Ahzan Aziz, was apparently arrested May 30 from his home in Mirpur in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. His family said the men who arrested him were Pakistani intelligence agents.
The government has refused to confirm that Aziz is in custody.
The court ordered Aziz produced by Friday, Siddiqi said.
Siddiqi said Aziz had abandoned his profession as an engineer to devote his time to preaching Islam and traveled to Afghanistan during the rule of the hardline Taliban regime.
``He was never involved in any anti-state activity or terrorism,'' Siddiqi said.
Aziz' father, Abdul, said two other sons, both of whom are in the Pakistani military, said they were told Aziz was in police custody.
His father said Aziz has links to the Taliban. During the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan, Aziz brought relief goods collected in Mirpur to Afghanistan, he said.
``It is not a crime to teach the Quran or have ties with Ulema (Islamic scholars),'' he added.
A U.S.-led coalition dismantled the Taliban rule in Afghanistan because it harboured al-Qaida, the terror network blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
Bureau Report