KARACHI, June 8: The Jafria Alliance Pakistan will observe a country-wide protest day on Friday to register their protest against the statement of President Musharraf describing the suicide bombing of Madinatul Ilm as a result of Shia-Sunni conflict and arrest of wounded Namazis.

Addressing a press conference at the residence of Maulana Abbas Kumeli here on Wednesday, JAP’s acting chief Hussain Masoodi announced that the central protest demonstration in Karachi would be held at Jamia Masjid Kharadar following the Friday prayers.

He said that there was no Shia-Sunni conflict in the country. He said the president had admitted three years back that official agencies had nurtured and given rise to the sectarian conflict.

Expressing deep sorrow over the tragic incident of KFC restaurant, Hussain Masoodi said that certain quarters were trying to malign Milliat-i-Jafria by putting the blame of the tragic incident on it. He regretted that the mourners, who rescued people stranded in KFC, were blamed for arson and later arrested by police. Among the six employees who died in the restaurant, one belonged to Shia community, he said, and added that police still blamed Shia people for the arson.

Hussain Masoodi said that protesters staging demonstrations against the mosque blast in the interior of Sindh were also arrested by police.

Others present at the press conference were Nisar Qalandri, Furqan Haider Abidi and S.M. Haider.