Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz booked over terror charges after 'open fire'

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 23 : Maulana Abdul Aziz, cleric of Lal Masjid, along with four others has been booked over terrorism charges after they opened fire on police in the country's capital, Islamabad, The Express Tribune reported.

A Counter-Terrorism Department (CPD) team purportedly went to the Lal Masjid area to ask him to appear before them and explains his return as a prayer leader, as well as, efforts to seize the area of the former children's library.

On Wednesday, a CTD team purportedly went to the Lal Masjid area to ask him to appear before them and explain his return as prayer leader as well as efforts to seize the former children's library area, as per The Express Tribune.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the team spotted a "suspicious" vehicle in the area which was signalled to stop. Later, three men including two armed with sub-machine guns (SMG) opened fire at the police.

The FIR invokes six sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including 324 (attempt to commit murder), as well as sections 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) and 11E (measure to be taken against a proscribed organisation) of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), according to The Express Tribune.

The three men identified as Murad Khan, Abrar Ahmad and Sarfaraz Hussein, were arrested. However, Aziz and another man managed to escape. The FIR identified him as the driver Manzoor. Moreover, four people other than Aziz have also been booked.

The FIR added that Aziz's name was included in a section of the ATA under which someone suspected of terrorism is kept under observation. Moreover, it also said that Aziz and his accomplices fired at the police with the intent to kill, The Express Tribune reported.

The police recovered the Sub Machine Guns (SMGs). However, two men who were bearing the weapon failed to provide the permit, as per the FIR.

Furthermore, they also recovered 11 shell casings from the scene, as per The Express Tribune.