SARGODHA: Former senator Hameeduddin Sialvi told a Friday congregation that his followers from all over Pakistan must arrive at Sial Sharif on Jan 9 to join a procession for Lahore.

He said they would encamp at the Data Ganj Bakhsh shrine till Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah resigned from the ministry office.

The pir of Sial Sharif said he had no other option but to launch the drive against the present regime for its support for Ahmadis. He said he would not hold dialogues with the government till Sanaullah resigned from both the ministry office and the assembly seat.

The Punjab government, in a last ditch effort, made two committees to have a dialogue with the pir and settle the issue. The close circles of Federal Minister of State for Religious Affairs Ameenul Hasnat said he had assured the pir that if ordered him, he would instantly quit the ministry. Mr Hasnat was not available for comment.

Dawn learned Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had contacted former MNA Malik Khuda Bakhsh Tiwana to convince Mr Sialvi to give him sometime to settle the issue but the pir did not listen to Mr Tiawana.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2018