An anti-terrorism court in Swat has ordered authorities to produce jailed Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Muhammad in court on July 20.The court issued the orders while hearing terrorism cases against the TNSM chief and his sons. Though Sufi was not presented in court on Tuesday due to security concerns, his three sons along with 23 other terrorists appeared before the court.
The accused are charged under various acts of terrorism, including the killing of security personnel, destruction of government property and treason.
During the hearing, the alleged terrorists threatened journalists not to publish their pictures in newspapers or run their footage on news channels, saying otherwise they would face dire consequences.
The anti-terrorism court judge Asim Imam fixed July 20 for the next hearing of the cases and directed the law enforcement agencies to ensure the presence of all the accused, including Sufi Muhammad, at the hearing.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had withdrawn dozens of cases lodged in 1994 against Sufi Muhammad after signing a peace agreement with him in 2008. However, after violation of the peace agreement by the Taliban, the government arrested Sufi Muhammad.
Official sources claim the provincial government had also re-opened all old cases against Sufi Muhammad.