Pakistan

JUI-F leader dares CJP, Sindh CM to implement mosque demolition orders

If you have the courage then show it and try bulldozing any mosque in Karachi, warns Rashid Soomro

News Desk December 29, 2021

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Sindh Secretary General Rashid Mahmood Soomro on Wednesday dared Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to implement the top court's order to demolish illegally constructed mosques in Karachi.

On Tuesday, the apex court ordered to demolish a mosque, shrine and cemetery built on amenity parks' land near Tariq Road.

A division bench, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin, heard a case against the construction of Madinah Mosque and other encroachments on the land meant for a park in Tariq Road at the Supreme Court Karachi Registry.

District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Administrator East maintained that the mosque was constructed on park land. CJP Gulzar expressed anger over the land still being occupied, reprimanding the district administrator over Karachi's condition.

“What have you done with this city? The city has been built in a way that it now needs to be rebuilt from scratch, like Poland, Germany and France were,” the CJP berated the district administrator.

Khawaja Shams, the mosque administration's counsel, said that the land was obtained from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) through auction. However, he claimed that a new mosque was being built in its stead.

“Assistant Commissioner Asma Batool has built a mausoleum and a graveyard to add fuel to sectarian rift. Bismillah mosque was also built overnight to sow sectarianism,” the lawyer stated.

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"Mr chief justice the mosques are not orphans... Mr chief minister the mosques are not orphans... if you have the courage then show it and try bulldozing the mosque," Soomro said in a video that went viral on social media.

JUI president Sindh chapter Rashid Soomro threatens Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, CM Sindh @MuradAliShahPPP & Commissioner Karachi to dare implement the #SupremeCourt order to demolish illegal mosques as ordered by the apex court yesterday pic.twitter.com/wn2N9EVYB2
— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) December 29, 2021

He went on to say that till the day he was alive, he will never let "even a single brick of any mosque in Karachi be demolished".

"We will stop you on the way [to the mosque]... if the mosques are demolished, your offices will also be demolished," JUI-F leader warned.

He also dared Commissioner Karachi to implement the apex court's order to demolish illegal mosques.

During yesterday's hearing, Justice Amin remarked that no place of worship could be built on illegal land.

He emphasised that Islam did not allow the construction of mosques on land acquired illegally. Justice Amin added that the KMC did not have the authority to issue a licence for the construction of a mosque on land meant for a park.

The apex court rejected Al-Fatah Mosque administration's request for a review, ordering them to return the land allotted for the mosque to the KMC. It further revoked the licence issued by the KMC.

The court ordered complete relinquishment of land in the Kidney Hill Park area, as well as the removal of Bismillah Mosque, mausoleum and cemetery within the park.