A group of Shia and Ahle Sunnat Ulema have announced to launch a country-wide movement against the anti-Islam movie from Monday and made it clear that the seriously injured protester Raza Taqvi was still alive and being treated at the operation theatre.

This was stated by them while addressing a joint press conference at the Numaish roundabout on Sunday following the protest and firing incident outside the US consulate where Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) staged a rally against the blasphemous movie.

The Ulema demanded for holding high-powered inquiry against the officers who ordered the opening of ‘direct fire’ on the protesting Shia and Ahle Sunnat activists at the consulate. He said that if they (Ulema) had not controlled the activists then the situation could have gone out of hand. Speaking to the media, Allama Ameen Shaheedi demanded lodging an FIR against the policemen who opened fire on the MWM protestors as well as against the American marines deputed at the consulate.

He said that an emergency meeting of the Milli Yekjehti Council has been convened on Monday to sort out the modalities for launching the movement against the anti-Islam movie under the platform of the MYC.

He also lashed out at Commissioner Karachi Roshan Ali Sheikh for telling a press conference that the police did not open fire, and termed it a bundle of lies.

He also demanded that Americans living in Pakistan should be expelled and the government should sever ties with the USA.

Criticising the “so-called” intellectuals and political parties for not taking to the roads in protest against the anti- Islam movie, he said they never lodge protests in such situations just to please the Americans.

He said that it was a peaceful protest and the police firing on the rally participants was unjustified and demanded immediate release of the Shia activists arrested during the demo.

The MWM staged a sit-on on main Numaish roundabout and blocked the MA Jinnah Road for several hours against the firing on the rally and the arrest of their activists, however, they dispersed peacefully following the release of arrested protesters late night.