KARACHI, Oct 19: A religious organisation called the Ulema Millat-i-Jafria has demanded that former home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza offer repentance to Allah and apologise to the Ummah for his alleged blasphemous remarks made at a press conference.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the ulema said Dr Mirza had hurt the sentiments of the entire Millat-i-Islamia by his insulting utterances and had made an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere of peace and unity.

They said the former home minister had wrongly quoted the events of the Prophet (PBUH) and Imam Hussain (AS) which amounted to blasphemy and a cause of resentment in the Millat-i-Islamia.

Speaking at the Karachi Press Club, Allama Ikram Tirmizi, Allama Azhar Naqvi, Allama Syed Ali Karar Naqvi, Allama Athar Mashhadi, Allama Shaikh Ali Muhammad Mutahiri, Allama Syed Mohsin Kazmi, Allama Agha Nadir Rizvi and Allama Kamran Turabi and others condemned terrorism of every nature.

They said that for a long time mosques, Imambargahs and processions of Millat-i-Tashih had been targeted. The Hazara community was particularly being targeted in Quetta, south Punjab, D.I. Khan and Parachinar, and innocent youths of Millat-i-Jafria were being targeted in Karachi, but the government authorities and institutions as well as the media were silent on the issue and it amounted to patronising terrorists.

They criticised the attitude of the higher authorities and the media and demanded that the chief justice, the army chief, the president and the prime minister discharge their duty by exposing this conspiracy immediately.

They praised MNA Nasir Shah for raising voice against victimisation of Ahl-i-Tashih in parliament.

They said anti-Islam forces had always blown up differences among the Muslims but the Pakistani nation had foiled every conspiracy through peace, love and friendship.