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Lahore HC upholds detention of JeM, LeT leaders

A day ahead of President Pervez Musharraf's address to the nation, the Lahore high court has upheld the three month-long detention of the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed, Maulana Masood Azhar and former chief of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Hafeez Mohammed Saeed.

The two are wanted by New Delhi for their role in the attack on the Indian Parliament.

Both Azhar and Saeed were being detained in the central province of Punjab, after they were arrested on charges of violating the maintenance of public order and making inflammatory speeches.

Reports from Lahore said on Friday that the court rejected a petition for their release filed on their behalf by a lawyer. Their detention was challenged on grounds of legality.

Officials of the provincial government said the two men could appeal to the home secretary of Punjab.

The court on Thursday rejected a petition from a defence lawyer that the detentions were illegal.

Azhar was arrested on December 25 and lodged in Mianwali district jail, about 250 km southwest of Lahore, officials said.

Saeed had been lodged in Saliha Resthouse located at a police training camp about 40 km from Rawalpindi, they said.

PTI

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