ISLAMABAD-
Security was beefed up on Friday outside Islamabad’s Lal Masjid following a call of protest by civil society members, private media reported.
Roads leading to the mosque have been barricaded while a huge contingent of police guards the building. It was also reported that eight civil society members were arrested and were later released following an assurance that the protest would be moved to Melody Chowk.
Members of the civil society gave a call of protest after Friday prayers to condemn Lal Masjid’s cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz statement that use of force against Taliban is not the “wise option”.
Aziz’s statement came while the nation mourned the massacre of minor students in Peshawar at the hands of bloodthirsty Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and is looking up to the Pakistan Army for avenging the carnage. He was adamant that use of force against Taliban is not the “wise option”.
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Infuriated over Aziz’s denial to condemn the bloodbath in Army Public School, Peshawar, a large number of civil society activists staged a demonstration outside the infamous Lal Masjid on Thursday.
The entire civil society seemed to be enraged at the cleric’s hardline position and during the episode, some protesters even tried to storm the Lal Masjid.
Protesters carrying banners against the inhumane attack in Peshawar, chanted slogans against the cleric for being a ‘Taliban apologetic’.
The civil society also announced that the demonstration will be staged outside the Lal Masjid every day until Maulana Aziz does not apologise for his statement which hurt the sentiments of millions of people across country at a time when the nation was already suffering from a deep shock caused by the Peshawar massacre.