LAHORE, Jan 15: The Lahore chapter of the Pak-Afghan Defence Council announced on Tuesday that a protest movement against the steps being taken against jihadi outfits and religious seminaries would be launched.

The announcement to this effect was made at a meeting which was presided over by council’s Lahore amir Mian Maqsood Ahmad here.

Briefing reporters, he criticized the speech made by the president and alleged that he had exaggerated about the role of religious parties. He said the meeting regretted the grant of vast powers to police to launch a crackdown on religious parties and jihadi outfits.

Mian Maqsood asked as to why no action had been taken against linguistic and separatist groups and parties. He said the council would organize meetings, processions, conventions and workshops to protest against the government decisions.

A six-member committee had been constituted under JUI’s Maulana Saifuddin Saif to organize a convention of religious seminaries in Lahore during the second week of the next month. Another conference would be held in Lahore on Feb 3, he said.