KARACHI, Feb 16: Speakers at a demonstration condemning Israel’s excavation activities around the Al-Aqsa Mosque demanded that the Pakistan government should take appropriate steps to stop the proposed demolition of the third most sacred site of Muslims.

They were speaking at a demonstration organised by the Jamaat-i-Islami at Masjid Baitul Mukarram in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. On the occasion, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui, Azizuddin Zafar, and others said that while Israel was continuing with its nefarious designs, Pakistani rulers were carrying out Middle East tours to get Israel recognised.

They said that the Israelis had also attempted to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque many years ago and now the Jerusalem city government under the garb of paving a footpath was trying to demolish the mosque and construct the Solomon Temple (Haikal-i-Sulaimani) there.

They said that it was unfortunate that while Palestinian children with stones in their hands were trying to stop Israeli tanks, rulers of the Islamic countries either remained indifferent towards it or on the directives of the United States, were trying to strengthen the hands of the Israeli government.

They said while Zionists were trying to demolish the mosque in Jerusalem, the Pakistan government was demolishing mosques in Islamabad. They said demolition notices had been sent to mosques and madressah.

They said the government was terming such mosques illegal, but it did not see numerous palatial houses constructed by army generals all over the country.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulemai-i-Pakistan leader Shabbir Abu Talib speaking at a demo on Friday condemned the government for sending demolition notices to Masjid-i-Ahmad Raza and Masjid-i-Qadria said such actions were being taken to please western countries. What was the difference between the governments of Pakistan and Israel as both were involved in mosques’ demolition, he asked.