LAHORE, Jan 18: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool has asked ulema, mashaikh and people to support the government to make mosques centres for education and learning.

He was speaking at the Shah Kamal Model Mosque after its inauguration The mosque was constructed by the auqaf department. The governor said such mosques and model religious seminaries would be established in every city.

The Shah Kamal Model Mosque has a community centre, an education centre, a library, computer and internet service, a playground, a dispensary and a jogging track for senior citizens.

The governor who offered his Friday prayers at the mosque urged the people to build model mosques and religious seminaries as the government could not do the task alone. Time had come to accept the change so as to revive the lost glory of Islam and the Muslims, and this was possible only by presenting the real spirit of the religion to others. He said a mosque should be the centre of learning and peace and all sectarian differences should be settled somewhere else.

He said people should cooperate with the president in promoting the real concept of Islam. The provincial government would adopt all measures in this context, he said, adding ulema and mashaikh must cooperate with the government in promoting the message of love and justice as this would automatically incline people towards Islam.

The governor asked the Lahore district Nazim to also build model mosques in the city. Earlier, he visited various sections of the mosque.

Dr Mehmoodul Hasan delivered the Friday sermon in Arabic and Auqaf secretary Syed Shafiq Bukhari presented the welcome address. He said the department would introduce such model mosques in every district of the province.

Meanwhile, the governor listened to the people’s problems. On a complaint, he directed the authorities concerned to reclaim the land of N.D. High School which had been grabbed by some ruffians. He also directed the authorities to ensure the supply of clean drinking water in the locality.