KARACHI, Oct 17: The Pakistan Sunni Movement, a previously unknown organisation, and students of some religious seminaries demanded on Monday that former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza publicly seek pardon from Allah for blasphemous remarks he had allegedly made at a press conference in Lyari.

The students, holding placards, demanded the institution of a case against Mr Mirza and severe punishment to him for his utterances.

They were also joined by leaders of the PSM who had just concluded a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

Addressing the press conference, PSM leader Shah Sirajul Haq Quaderi recalled that ulema had warned former Punjab governor Salman Taseer also but he did not heed the warnings.

He advised Dr Mirza to immediately ask for forgiveness of Allah at a press conference.

He also said that the PSM had asked ulema to issue their edicts in this regard.

The PSM chief urged politicians not to use Quranic and Shariah terminology for promoting their politics and stop referring to the Holy Prophet in their personal conflicts.

Maulana Quaderi also announced his party’s support for a strike call given by the Sunni Ittehad Council over the award of a death sentence to Mumtaz Qadri, the convicted assassin of Mr Taseer.—Staff Report