ISLAMABAD: Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz and his companions were on Friday booked for hurling threats on the representatives of the civil society.

The civil society activists gathered in front of the mosque to protest the cleric’s refusal to condemn the Peshawar massacre.

The Aabpara police registered the case in response to a complaint lodged by Syed Naeem Athar Bukhari.

The FIR stated that when the representatives of the civil society were protesting in front of the mosque on Thursday, Maulana Aziz along with his four gunmen came out and threatened the protesters with dire consequences.

They also abused the protesters and called other people from inside the mosque and asked them to disperse the protesters.

On Friday, they again staged a protest but Maulana Aziz ordered their removal, the FIR stated, adding later some people came out from the mosque and started taking photographs of the protesters.

Meanwhile, the capital police have decided to book Maulana Aziz for delivering a hate sermon during Friday sermons.

Besides, cases registered against the representatives of the civil society for protesting in front of the Lal Masjid were being quashed.

“Police have sent a letter to the government seeking permission for detaining Maulana Aziz under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO),” said the officials, adding the reply was awaited.

Published in Dawn December 20th , 2014