Banned outfit founder placed under house arrest

Pakistan

Banned outfit founder placed under house arrest

Close

Founder of a banned outfit is under house detention because of attempts to stoke conflict.

22 September,2011 04:45 pm

Malik Ishaq, a founder of the banned group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, was accused in dozens of killings, but was released on bail in July after 14 years in prison because the Supreme Court decided there was not enough evidence to keep holding him.He has been giving public speeches since his release whipping up anger toward a sect, who make up about 15 percent of the population, said a police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media.The Punjab provincial government on Wednesday ordered that Ishaq remain at home for 10 days, said Sohail Chattha, the police chief in Rahim Yar Khan district where Ishaq lives.Ishaqs behavior endangered sectarian harmony and caused a sudden rise in sectarian temperature in the country, said Chattha citing conveyed reasons for the house arrest.Suspected extremists opened fire on pilgrims traveling by bus through southwest Pakistan on Tuesday on their way to Iran, killing 26 people, officials and survivors said.Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility in a telephone call to a local journalist in Quetta, but that claim could not be verified.