07 October 2004	Thursday	21 Shaban 1425

LAHORE, Oct 6: Speakers at a seminar pledged to continue the mission of deceased Maulana Azam Tariq for protecting honour of companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his family within peaceful and legal limits.

The seminar was held to mark the first death anniversary of Maulana Tariq, the defunct Millat Islamia Pakistan president, who had been shot dead by unknown killers on the outskirts of Islamabad last year.

The event was to be chaired by MMA Vice-President Senator Maulana Samiul Haq but he did not turn up. It was then chaired by Maulana Alam Tariq, the brother of the deceased, while the other speakers included Maulana Abdul Qayyum, Maulana Atiqur Rehman, International Khatme Nabuwwat Movement Convener Sahibzada Mahmood Qadri, Bilal Mosque Khateeb Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Mujahid and Jamia Mehmoodia representative Muhammad Mumtaz.

Maulana Alam regretted that the culprits nominated in the murder case had not so far been arrested despite the lapse of one year. He warned that his followers would not tolerate propagation of anti-Islam ideologies in the garb of Islam and would continue their mission to differentiate between Islam and Kufr.

Paying tribute to Maulana Azam for the protection of honour of the Prophet's companions, he said the defunct MIP leader served jail terms, suffered torture and threats, and eventually laid down his life for the sake of his mission.

Maulana Abdul Qayyum demanded the implementation of the five-point formula presented by Maulana Azam for Islamization of society. Through unanimous resolutions, the participants demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishments to the killers of the Maulana, observing of the days of Caliphs at official level, passage of the Namoos-e-Sahaba bill for the elimination of sectarianism, and declaring Pakistan a Sunni state.

They also demanded a check on increasing activities of Qadianis and condemned the suicide bombing in Sialkot mosque. They said the incident should be probed by a judicial tribunal.