LAHORE, July 29: The government is committed to check the misuse of loudspeaker in mosques and proscribe and confiscate objectionable religious books and literature.

This was stated by Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Minister Sahibzada Syed Saeedul Hasan Shah while presiding over a meeting of the Muttahida Ulema Board at the Aiwan-i-Auqaf here on Thursday.

The minister said Islam encourages publication of literature for the promotion of religious cohesion and goodwill among the Muslims and prohibits propagation of sectarianism.

He said the government would not only ban the objectionable religious literature but also take stern action against the authors and publishers of the same. The ulema proposed awarding of deterrent punishment to elements trying to spread religious hatred by writing and publishing mischievous literature.

The minister criticized the misuse of loudspeaker in mosques for disturbing peace and stressed the need for making the 'muhallah' peace committees effective. He said the law enforcing agencies should take stern action against objectionable speeches on the mosque loudspeakers.

Mr Shah expressed his concern over the failure of the law enforcing agencies in recovering holy slippers stolen from the Badshahi Mosque. He said the security had been beefed up in the mosque since the theft of slippers. He said cameras had also been installed in the relics gallery.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister's Advisor for Promotion of Religious Cohesion Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, provincial Auqaf secretary Muhammad Javed Iqbal Awan, Maulana Muhammad Yousaf Anwar, Allama Abdul Tawwab Siddiqi, Maulana Muhammad Hanif Jallundhri, Allama Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Allama Muhammad Haq Nawaz Qamar, Mufti Muhammad Khan Qadri, Allama Maqsud Ahmed Qadri, Maulana Naeemur Rehman, Mufti Abdus Salam, Allama Karamat Ali Imrani, Allama Ahmed Ali Kasuri, Mufti Abdul Rashid, Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad and government officials.