PESHAWAR, Dec 8: The Shia Action Committee has warned of a countrywide strike if the cases against the chief of the banned Pakistan Islami Tehrik, Allama Sajid Naqvi, were not withdrawn.

The Action Committee organised a workers’ convention here on Sunday to chalk out a plan for the release of Allama Naqvi.

Former senator Allama Jawad Hadi, Mohammad Alam Mousvi and Allama Khurshid Anwar Jawadi also addressed the convention.

Later, speaking at a press conference Action Committee’s head Allama Tauqir said a Ulema council had been constituted to hold meetings with the Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali, NWFP Chief Minister Ikram Khan Durrani and senior politicians to explain factual position about the cases against Allama Naqvi.

Responding to a question, he said the protest movement would be peaceful.

He said Allama Naqvi had been involved in a fake murder case. He said: “It’s all baseless and fabricated. The government is receiving dictations from abroad to crush religious organisations in the country”.

He said the banned Pakistan Islamic Tehrik was a political party and the government could not justify its decision to ban the party.