ISLAMABAD, April 23: Women rights and civil society activists asked the government at a rally on Monday to shut down Islamabad’s Hafsa and Fareedia madressahs that they said were promoting extremism.

The rally, organised by the Human Rights Network (HRN) and civil society organisations, started from the China Chowk area and culminated at the Parliament House, with dozens of activists holding placards and banners with anti-Jamia Hafsa and anti- extremism slogans.

They chanted slogans including “stop terrorism, stop politics in the name of Jamia Hafsa”, “this country is ours”, “it is Quaid-i-Azam’s country”, and “stop politics of mullahs”.

Other slogans included: “We will get freedom”, “no more ghunda gardi, terrorism, mullah gardi and danda gardi”, “no more rule of mullahs”, “it is your and mine Pakistan which would not be allowed to be Talibanised,” “no to religious extremism and yes to life and music”, “this is the country of enlightened moderation”, and “no more feudal system”.

The participants also chanted slogans against the Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid administration. They accused the Jamia Hafsa of promoting extremism and sectarianism in the country said it must be closed.

They said the Jamia Hafsa students were ruining public property and posed a threat to citizens after they kidnapped three women some weeks ago and burnt video cassette shops.

The protesters condemned the occupation of a public library by Jamia Hafsa’s female students and said such acts distorted the real image of Islam which teaches love and affection for human beings.

Meanwhile, chief coordinator of Tanzim-i-Ulema Ahl-i-Sunnat, Islamabad, Allama Prof Abdul Majeed Mughal, condemned the call for Shariah implementation by force by the baton-wielding students of Jamia Hafsa and termed it un-Islamic, immoral and illegal while addressing a press conference on Monday.

He said those adopting such an attitude were violating the sanctity of religious seminaries and sowing the seed of hatred in the hearts of people.—Agencies