ISLAMABAD, April 17: The government on Tuesday again went on the defensive in its standoff with the clerics of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa and provided land for two of the seven mosques demolished by the Islamabad administration.

Land for the other five demolished mosques would be provided in the next couple of days. Provision of land for the demolished mosques was one of the major demands of the clerics. The other demand pertains to enforcement of Sharia in the country.

The plots, situated in Sector I-8 and Murree Road Orchard Scheme, have been provided under an assurance given last week by Pakistan Muslim League (PML) president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to the administration of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa.

According to the representatives of Lal Masjid, the local administration had demolished seven mosques in different areas of Islamabad recently. They were: Masjid Amir Hamza, Murree Road; Masjid Syedna Ibn-i-Abbas, Orchard Road; Masjid Amir Hamza, F-10/3; Masjid Syedna Ali, G-10; Masjid Umar bin Abdul Aziz, PM Staff Colony; Masjid Safha, I-8; and Masjid Umar, G-8 Markez.

The administrations of these mosques had opposed the demolition of the mosques and occupied a children’s library in protest.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the local administration had earlier refused either to rebuild the demolished mosques or to provide plots for new ones. But now the government has not only provided plots for the purpose but it has also promised to reconstruct these mosques.

The CDA had reportedly declared a total of 87 mosques in the city illegal.

When contacted, the Islamabad deputy commissioner said alternative plots for two demolished mosques had been given on the recommendation of an Ulema-government committee.