LAHORE, Feb 26: Terming the Shan-i-Mustafa rally in the city successful, the MMA has announced that it will observe protest day on Monday (today) against large-scale arrests in Lahore to prevent masses from protesting against blasphemous cartoons.

Punjab MMA president Liaqat Baloch told a press conference here on Sunday evening that the protest in the city had been successful despite the arrest of over 2,000 workers from 22 places.

The “unconstitutional” and “brutal” steps of the government would be protested in the national as well as Punjab Assembly, he said.

MPs Hafiz Salman Butt, Farid Ahmad Piracha and Ehsanullah Waqas, Pir Ijaz Hashmi, Amirul Azeem and others were also present.

Baloch said female MMA activists would also organize a Shan-i-Mustafa rally from Nasser Bagh on Monday (today).

He regretted that Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had banned expression of anger by the masses against the blasphemers in Punjab while there were no such restrictions in other provinces.

“The Chaudhrys, just for a few days rule, have damaged the name of their family by obstructing the protest against blasphemy acts.”