LAHORE, Jan 21: An alliance of religious schools has refused to attend a meeting convened on Monday by the federal minister for religious affairs to set up examination boards for various chains of seminaries.

“We have decided to boycott the meeting called by the federal minister for religious affairs in Islamabad on Jan 22,” said Dr Sarfraz Naeemi, secretary-general of the Ittehad Tanzeemat-i-Madaris Dinyah, representing five seminary organisations belonging to different schools of thought.

Citing what he termed the government’s ‘double standards’ as the main reason for the decision, he said: “While meetings are being held with seminaries’ organisations for a dialogue, a drive is under way to demolish mosques in Islamabad without meeting legal formalities.”

Dr Naeemi alleged that Imams and Khateebs across the country, especially in Islamabad, had been warned that if they criticised the government or Gen Pervez Musharraf in their Friday sermons, they would be expelled from mosques and might also be jailed.

“The government has decided to stop mosques from giving calls for rights,” Dr Naeemi said

He said that under these circumstances, holding talks with the government would be futile.

He said: “The groups’ leaders have unanimously decided to boycott the meeting and have, instead, convened their own gathering in Lahore on Monday to discuss the current situation and work out a course of action.”