Islamabad’s Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has granted a four-day physical remand for Umme Hassan, wife of Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz, in a case of attacking a government vehicle and allegedly firing on officials.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra heard the case and sent seven men and six women, including Umme Hassan, on a four-day physical remand on Thursday.
A night earlier, Hassan was arrested from Madni Masjid Margalla Town, Islamabad, where according to the First Information Report (FIR) she tried to stop the Capital Development Authority’s officials who were looking after the construction of a madrassa named Ashraf-ul-Aloom Murree Road Islamabad.
Tahir Kazim, Law Officer of Inspector General Islamabad Office, while speaking to Khabar Kada said, “That empty plot was allocated to the madrassa and the officials were there to oversee the construction when Umme Hassan with other women and men attacked the officials.”
According to the FIR, a mob led by Umme Hassan damaged the property of CDA and also fired on the officials. It adds that she asked her accomplices to remove construction materials placed at the site.
Videos circulating on social media showed Umme Hassan before the arrest, threatening police officials. Police can be heard telling Umme Hassan in the video that they will be ‘shifting’ the building elsewhere.
In a video message, Maulana Abdul Aziz said that Hassan went there because someone told her that the authority was demolishing a mosque.
“We want to request the government to keep the peace and release Um e Hassan,” he said while addressing the people in Lal Masjid
Maulana Abdul Aziz told Khabar Kada that the issue began when authorities announced that the Madrassa Ahraf-ul-Uloom on Murree Road, built on a 2-kanal plot, will be shifted to a 4-marla plot in Margalla Town. In response, Umme Hassan went to the location and after talks with administration, it was finalized that all parties will sit and decide how to proceed the next day. However, Aziz said that they suddenly received news of Umme Hassan’s arrest at this point.
Meanwhile, Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan has also issued a statement supporting Umme Hassan.
