FAISALABAD, Aug 16: Local religious organizations announced on Monday that they would demonstrate and court-arrest from Thursday under the umbrella of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and management of dozens of seminaries to protest against the arrests of two leaders of a mosque for their alleged links with the Al-Qaeda network.

Intelligence agencies had picked up prayer leader Qari Noor Muhammad and MMA city president Maulana Obaidullah from Jamia Masjid Mubarak on the Dijkot Road on Friday. A student of the prayer leader was also taken into custody.

At a news conference here, MMA Punjab Vice-President Maulana Yousaf Anwar and other leaders of religious organizations and seminaries said the government had violated all norms of justice by raiding mosques and seminaries without any justification.

They alleged that the police had arrested 'innocent' prayer leaders of mosques just to harass the leadership of religious parties. Such acts of the government agencies could deteriorate law and order situation in the country, they added.

They claimed that both the arrested persons had no links with terrorist activities. If the government had proof against their involvement in any suspicious activity, the leaders said they would not only hail the government's decision but also boycott such people.

They announced that hundreds of religious workers would bring out a protest rally from the Jamia Masjid at Katchery Bazaar after Asr prayers on Thursday. There are reports that the two persons have been arrested by intelligence agencies for their alleged links with the masterminds of murderous attack on Shaukat Aziz. Sources said the arrested persons had links with the outlawed Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.