Mosque controversy: Judge summons Islamic varsity officials

Sources said the varsity did not allow students to offer Friday prayers at the mosque.

ISLAMABAD: A local court on Friday ordered two officials of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) to appear on the next hearing and resolve the dispute over a makeshift mosque closed by the university management.

IIUI recently expelled five students for a semester, registered an FIR against eight at the Sabzi Mandi Police Station, and issued show-cause notices to eight others to appear before the disciplinary committee for being “adamant” at offering prayers at the makeshift mosque which was closed by the management for “security concerns”.

On March 24, a civil court judge had ordered to maintain the status quo on the matter. Earlier, on January 22, the same court had granted a stay to the students.

Civil judge Ayesha Shabbir on Friday questioned the counsel for IIUI as to why the institute was expelling students and registering FIRs against them. “It shows the varsity is not resolving the issue,” she said.

She also issued notices to IIUI director administration Raja Khalid and adviser to the president of the varsity Azizur Rehman.

Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that the varsity’s management did not allow the students to offer Friday prayers in the mosque. “Some 25-30 police officials along with their van were present outside the mosque to arrest anyone who entered the premises,” said a university official.

The mosque was built by residents of a small village who used to live in the area before the land was acquired by the university.

In 2008-2009, the students of the university rebuilt the mosque that has a space for over 100 persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2015.