LAHORE: All (religious) Parties Tahafuz-i-Namoos-i-Risalat will hold its “million march” in the city today (Thursday) to protest against, what it calls, mishandling of Aasia Bibi case and subsequent release, which the religious parties think has been done at the behest of the West and secular forces.

Briefing the media at the end of the preparatory conference, MMA President Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the rulers would “have to give up the patronage of secular elements and change their attitude against religion”.

The multi-party conference hosted by Jamaat-i-Islami at Mansoora drew 35 religious parties and organisations who declared that the entire nation was united to safeguard the Namoos of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

The march will start after Zuhr prayers from Nasser Bagh and terminate at Charing Cross, where the leaders will address the participants. The march is expected to keep life suspended for the city dwellers for the better part of the day as it will start early afternoon and go on till late evening.

All schools, colleges and universities on and around The Mall will remain closed and so will markets (on The Mall).

Flanked by other leaders, Fazlur Rehman read a joint communiqué which said the MPC called upon the government to file a review petition and demanded categorical explanation from the government regarding news reports of Aasia’s departure abroad. It called for implementing the sentences awarded in blasphemy cases where appeals had been rejected.

Prominent among those attending the moot included Hafiz Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer, Maulana Amir Hamza, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari, Hafiz Raza Kazim, Khwaja Moeenuddin Koreja and Maulana Allah Wasaya.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2018