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ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad on Sunday rejected as “nonsense” Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s allegation that Taliban leader Mullah Omar had been seen offering Friday prayers in a mosque in Quetta.
Talking to newsmen, he termed the statement of the Afghan president incorrect. He advised the Afghan president to concentrate on the internal problems of his country.
The minister said he had investigated the matter and the allegation was baseless as the mosque in Salim Plaza which Mr Karzai mentioned was of Al-i-Hadith and not of Deobandis, where he implied Mullah Omar would have offered his prayers.
Our Staff Correspondent in Quetta adds: The khatibs of different mosques around the Salim Medical Complex and its medical superintendent, Dr Arshad Mehmood, have denied the reports that the Taliban leader performed Friday prayers last week in the area.
“We have a very small hall that the attendants of the patients and hospital staff use as a mosque. It is not possible to hold Juma prayers at such a small place,” Dr Mehmood said.
There are three big mosques around the complex where Friday prayers are held. One of them is behind the complex, which belongs to the Ahl-i-Hadith. The khatib of Jamia Masjid Ghaznavia Ahl-i-Hadith, Maulana Abdul Majeed, said Mullah Omar could not come to offer prayers there.
“We are against the Taliban movement and our people fought against their government in Kandahar and Spin Buldak,” he said.
