Govt takes control of mosques, madrassas of banned outfits

ISLAMABAD: The government took over control of dozens of mosques and seminaries being operated by banned outfits in Islamabad, Chakwal and Attock on Wednesday.

Those which were taken under control in the federal capital are Qaba Masjid, Madni Masjid, Ali Asghar Masjid, Madrassa Khalid bin Waleed and Madrassa Ziaul-Quran by the Islamabad administration, reported Geo TV.

The religious places have been taken into control following an operation against the proscribed organisations under the National Action Plan (NAP), it added.

New imams and preachers have been appointed by the Auqaf Department in the mosques and the madrassas. According to the new order, Maulana Yaseen of Masjid Quba has been replaced as a preacher by Maulana Umar Farooq, while Maulana Azhar Abbasi has also been removed as a preacher.

Further, Yar Mohammad has been replaced as a preacher of Ali Asghar Masjid by Qari Mohammad Siddiqui. INP adds: Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi on Wednesday said the operation against proscribed organisations under the National Action Plan (NAP) will continue till achievement of objectives.

The minister tweeted, “Operation against proscribed organisations as per National Action Plan (NAP) 2014 shall continue till achievement of objectives. Efforts to accelerate progress on complete NAP are being pursued.”

A day earlier the federal government took as many as 44 members affiliated with proscribed organisations including Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar’s brother Mufti Abdul Rauf and son Hammad Azhar into preventive detention under NAP.

A statement from the Ministry of Interior said the decision was made at a high-level meeting on Monday.

It was decided to speed up action against all proscribed organisations. In compliance 44 under observation members of proscribed organisations including Mufti Abdul Rauf and Hammad Azhar have been taken in preventive detention for investigation, it said.

These actions will continue as per the decisions taken in National Security Committee meeting while reviewing National Action Plan.

Addressing a press conference Shehryar Afridi said the action was taken without any foreign pressure and the government is taking indiscriminate action against banned outfits. “We won’t let anyone use Pakistani soil against anyone so that no force can intervene in Pakistan’s domestic issues. We are taking the action under our responsibility,” he said.