Deobandi TTP Chief’s father in law Sufi Muhammad indicted in treason case

The Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) in Peshawar indicted chief of the outlawed militant outfit Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah Mohammadi (TNSM) Sufi Muhammad for treason and sedition. He is father in law of Mulla Radio (Fazlulla), chief of Taliban’s Pakistani chapter and both belong to Swat, Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa province.

On Saturday, during the hearing in Peshawar Central Jail, the head of the banned Wahhabis-allied Deobandi fanatic outfit was charged with treason and sedition which he denied subsequently. The hearing has been adjourned till February 21.

The Deobandi cleric Sufi Muhammad was charged for terming democracy and the democratic government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan as ‘un-Islamic’ in a speech for which he was charged with treason.

Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Abdul Rauf heard the case in Peshawar Central Jail where Sufi Muhammad was also present. The TNSM Amir was accused of sedition over an anti-state speech at Grassy Ground Mingora in 2009. A vast majority of Sunni Muslims of Pakistan have rejected the TNSM or TTP’s interpretation of Islam.

Six defendants including Sufi Muhammad had been booked as accused in the case of which two have died. The defendants also include his two sons as well as a commander of TNSM.