PHC orders release of Sufi's sons

PESHAWAR (APP) - Peshawar High Court here Wednesday issued release orders of the three sons of defunct Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i-Sharia-i-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad, who were detained under section 3 Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO). A single member-bench of PHC presided over by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan issued the release order of Ziaullah, Rizwanullah and Hayatullah, sons of Sufi Mohammad, who were arrested by law enforcement agencies from Sethi Town here on July 22 and were sent to central prisons Peshawar under section 3 of MPO on the orders of the DCO. The PHC Tuesday reserved its judgment in a writ petition filed by Ziaullah, Rizwanullah and Hayatullah, who challenged their detention order under section 3 of the MPO. The petitioners had challenged their detention in the Peshawar High Court. Sufi Muhammad, however, did not challenge his detention in PHC. Advocate Mohammad Atlas Khan appeared for the petitioners and contended that no doubt they are the sons of Sufi Muhammad but they are innocent and the order issued by the DCO was illegal and unconstitutional. He argued that the DCO had issued a stereotype order that lacked any solid grounds for the arrest of the petitioners and added that there was no threat to public order from the petitioners. Additional Advocate General (AAG) Fazlur Rehman, however, rejected the petitioners counsel prayers that Sufis sons are innocent, saying they along with his father are running a defunct organization and claimed that Sufi and his sons are threat for peace of the whole country. He said TNSM chief and his sons had started meetings in Peshawar and hundred of its activists were attending the meetings that could create law and order situation for the province and the whole country. NWFP Home and Tribal Affairs secretary, Peshawar DCO, Peshawar senior superintendent police (operations), and Paharipura police station in-charge have been made respondents in the petition.

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