July 07, 2008	Monday	Rajab 3, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 6: Religious leaders addressing a conference on the first anniversary of the Lal Masjid operation on Sunday demanded trial of President Pervez Musharraf for the bloodshed caused by the operation.

They told thousands of madressha students that the then corps commander of Rawalpindi, the interior minister and other officials who had taken part in the operation, should also be tried and punished by the government or the and warned that if it was not done the students would use force to bring them to justice.

But a statement issued by the organisers of the conference made no mention of President Pervez Musharraf and other people, but demanded registration of an “FIR against the people actually responsible for the Operation Silence”. They demanded constitution of an inquiry commission comprising impartial and independent people, to investigate the matter.

They also pledged to oppose government interference in all madressah, adding that the gathering was a beginning of ‘Protection Movement’ for each and every mosque and madressa in the country.

They also announced that similar gatherings would be held in the four provinces and a protest programme in font of the Parliament House. One such gathering will be held in Lahore on August 10 and another on July 10 in Quetta.

They conference demanded unconditional release of Maulana Abdul Aziz, reconstruction of Jamia Hafsa and reopening of Jamia Faridia.

They said that their next gathering would be held in Jamia Faridia and warned that the administration would be responsible if any untoward incident took place.

They also announced that from Monday tents would be erected at the site of the Jamia Hafsa where regular classes would be held.

JUI-F central leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, Wafaqul Madaris secretary general Qari Muhammad Hanif Jalandheri, Maulana Ahmad Ludhianvi of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, Mufti Kifayatullah, Qari Saeedur Rehman and others spoke on the occasion.