June 22, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 06, 1428

ISLAMABAD, June 21: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Thursday demolished a mosque in Sector G-8 —Masjid Al Mehdi Asna-i-Ashri— despite government orders against demolition of even ‘unauthorised’ mosques.

A protest demonstration against the demolition was held at the site of the mosque.

Allama Sibtain Sherani, vice president of the Ulema Mashaikh Wing of the Pakistan Muslim League, who visited site of the demolished mosque and also took part in the protest demonstration, said that razing of the mosque was a bid to fan sectarianism among Muslims.

He told Dawn that he had drawn the attention of the government towards the issue and demanded reconstruction of the mosque. “It is shameful that the mosque was razed when women and girls were attending a Majlis (mourning ceremony) held in connection with the death anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Tuz Zahra.”

According to the in charge of the mosque, Maulana Syed Amir Hussain Shah, it was demolished by the staff of the Capital Development Authority (CDA). “Some 60 employees of the CDA in five trucks came without any notice and demolished the mosque,” said Shah.

When the deputy commissioner, Islamabad, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali was contacted, he expressed ignorance about the demolition saying: “How can the mosque be razed after the government orders to stop demolition of mosques even those which were declared ‘unauthorised’ by the CDA.”