RAWALPINDI, Dec 23: An anti-terrorism court here on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of Allama Sajid Naqvi in the Maulana Azam Tariq murder case.

The ATC-1 judge, Manzoor Ahmed Mirza, rejected the bail application of the outlawed Tehrik-i-Islami Pakistan chief. The prosecution opposed the bail plea of Allama Naqvi, stating that he had allegedly masterminded the attack on the banned Millat-i-Islamia (previously Sipah-i-Sahaba) chief, his three guards and the driver on Oct 6, near Golra toll plaza, Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the Allama’s counsel, Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi and Sardar Ishaaq, told Dawn that they would move another bail plea of Naqvi before the Lahore High Court.

Earlier, the court granted A-class to Allama Naqvi in Adyala jail and allowed his family members to meet him there. The defence counsel were hopeful of securing bail for the detained TIP chief.

However, after the submitting of a charge-sheet by the prosecution, as well as statements of two prosecution witnesses (PWs) from Jhang, Imtiaz Hussain and Shaikh Imran, the court turned down the application.

According to the PWs, they were present at the residence of Qazi Hussain Ahmad, head of the Jamaat-i-Islami, in Islamabad, where a meeting of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) was in progress.

Allama Naqvi, the prosecution witnesses claimed, had come out of the meeting room and joined Sibtain Kazmi and Amanullah Siyal, the co-accused, in the case, who had been waiting for the Allama in the room where the PWs had been present.

Allama Naqvi, according to the PWs, directed Kazmi and Siyal to remove Azam Tariq from his way as he was a big hurdle in the spreading of Fiqh Jafria in the country. Both the co-accused had agreed to provide arms and men for the assassination of Azam Tariq, the PWs said in their statements.