Islamabad, Nov 05: A Pakistani judge is to rule whether to free a top opposition leader who is alleged to have committed treason and attempted to incite mutiny in the armed forces, his lawyer and a police official said. The judge in the high court today held a hearing on a petition seeking the release of Javed Hashmi, defence lawyer Syed Zafar Ali Shah said. The hearing was held in Rawalpindi, a city near Islamabad.

Hashmi, who heads Pakistan's main opposition alliance, was arrested last Wednesday in Islamabad and has since been held incommunicado. Shah said the police failed to bring a list of the charges against Hashmi at the hearing.

But the police rejected Shah's claim.

``We informed the court that Javed Hashmi faces certain charges and a case has been registered against him. His arrest is not illegal,'' said Sheikh Zubair Ahmed, an Islamabad police official who attended the hearing.

Police have said Hashmi is being held on suspicion of treason, attempting to incite mutiny in the army. Meanwhile, a lower court today gave police nine more days to interrogate Hashmi, said Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Pakistan's information minister.

But Hashmi has to be freed if the high court orders his release, according to his lawyer.

Bureau Report