Following issuance of release orders by the Anti Terrorist Court (ATC), on Thursday morning, former Khateeb of Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz was released. The ATC sent the release orders to Adiala Central Jail for immediate release of the former Khateeb and religious scholar.
Maulana Abdul Aziz, who was arrested after July 2007 military operation on Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa, a seminary of girls, adjacent to Lal Masjid and was detained in his house located in Bahria Town, a posh locality in the outskirts of Islamabad, which was declared sub-jail.
The Superintendent of Adiala Central jail sent the release order to Bahria Town sub-jail incharge for implementation. The jubilant relatives and supporters of Maulana Aziz distributed sweets outside the court premises following the Supreme Court of Pakistan order for the release of Maulana Abdul Aziz.
Besides Maulana Abdul Aziz, his wife Umme Hassaan, daughters, Umme Tayyaba Dua and Amna Dua, were among people arrested by Islamabad Police during Lal Majid operation, during which Maulana Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, his mother, Hassaan, son of Maulana Abdul Aziz and hundreds of male and female students of Jamia Hafsa, Jamia Faridia and Lal Masjid were killed.