ISLAMABAD: An official of Lal Masjid on Friday filed a complaint with the police for the registration of a case against a spokesman for Shuhada Foundation Pakistan (SFP) for holding a press conferment on the premises of the mosque without taking permission from the district administration.

Lal Masjid Naib Khateeb Amir Siddiq in his complaint to the Aabpara police stated that Hafiz Ihtasham Ahmed along with advocate Tariq Asad and an unidentified man tried to hold the press conference without permission from the capital administration and the mosque management, the police said.

A police officer on the condition of anonymity said the complaint was being sent to the legal branch for an opinion. An official of the capital administration said the spokesman for the SFP wanted to hold the news conference over missing persons. However, no permission was sought from the capital administration, he added.

“Lal Masjid is a state property and operated under the Auqaf department. No one can use it for their personal or private purpose, especially without permission from the government.”

He said the SFP spokesman tried to conduct the news conference but the capital administration and police removed him from the premises.

The spokesman said permission was sought from the capital administration but it was not granted.

“We conducted the new conference and later the police removed us from the venue,” he added.

In the news conference, he said, the SFP demanded the release of all missing persons affiliated with Lal Masjid by February 3.

He said the disappearance of the five bloggers was also illegal. There should be a court trial if they were involved in any illegal activity or crime, said the SFP.

It also sought the removal of the Lal Masjid naib khateeeb for lodging the complaint against the spokesman and making hurdles in the press conference.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2017