Pakistan Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Maulana Abdul Aziz

A Pakistan court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz after he refused to condemn the recent massacre at a Peshawar school where 152 people were killed including 133 children.

Imam Abdul Aziz allegedly threatened protesters outside the radical mosque and also said that the charge against him was not significant.

The decision comes in the midst of ongoing protests organized by civil society members. The civil society members have registered an FIR against Aziz and also gave the police a deadline, i.e. Friday, to begin a probe into the case against the cleric.

The protest was led by lawyer-turned-activist Jibran Nasir, who remained firm on his decision even after receiving a threatening call from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Jamatul Ahrar faction's spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan.

"We have requested the police to conduct a focused investigation...then we will know whether to continue chanting slogans or to celebrate. This is a story of the will of the common man. This is a common man's protest against all the rogue clerics who use and manipulate the name of Islam for their own interests," Nazir told The Express Tribune. 

On the other hand, the protesters are also being investigated for holding an unlawful protest.

Meanwhile, the accused cleric said that instead of arresting him, the authorities should focus on apprehending those who have committed more serious crimes.

"My case is very small and even a sub-inspector can grant me bail," he said, BBC reports.

According to BBC, Aziz is infamous for his pro-Taliban views.

A Lal Masjid spokesman said that they would oppose the arrest of Aziz.