November 1, 2001	Thursday	Shaba’an 14, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: The government on Wednesday banned the use of loudspeaker in mosques except for Aazan and Khutba-i-Juma (Friday sermon) and decided to proceed against religious parties, inciting public unrest, under the sedition law.

“Strong notice was taken of the malicious and seditious statements coming from certain quarter and it was decided that the government would proceed against such elements in accordance with the law,” said an official announcement issued after a special meeting on law and order.

The meeting, which was presided over by President Gen Pervez Musharraf and attended by all the four provincial governors, interior minister and concerned officials was held before the cabinet meeting with the sole agenda to review the law and order situation in the country.

Later at a cabinet meeting strong notice was taken against the misuse of loudspeakers in mosques and the interior ministry and all the provincial governments were directed to strictly implement the ban on the use of microphones in mosques.

The loudspeaker could only be used for Aazan and Khutaba-i- Jumma. Anybody violating this ban would be dealt with under the law, it added.

The cabinet directed the provincial governments to take action against those misusing mosques for spreading sectarian hatred and disharmony.

The cabinet decided that the government would not allow anybody to sow discord and create disharmony through inflammatory and derogatory speeches inciting people against any religion or sect.

The participants of the meeting were briefed by the interior minister, Moinuddin Haider, about the law and order situation in the country.