LAHORE, Sept 14: Hundreds of religious activists and workers under the banner of various religious parties staged rallies across the provincial metropolis on Friday to protest the alleged blasphemous film/movie release in the United States.

They urged the Pakistan government to take up the matter seriously to prosecute those involved in the conspiracy.

JUD: Jamatud Dawa staged a big protest show at Chauburji Chowk where its chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and other leaders spoke to the participants carrying placards and banners.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Saeed urged the entire Muslim countries to suspend all their links with the US government.

“The Muslim countries should also kick out the Americans living there. And if they (the countries) didn’t do this, the situation will be out of control,” he warned.

He deplored the poor response of the Organisation of Islamic Countries and sought its active participation in initiating efforts to penalise those involved in the conspiracy against Muslims across the world. The rally was also addressed by Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki and others.

JI: Jamaat-i-Islami took out a protest rally from Lytton Road up to the Lahore Press Club.

Addressing the rally, JI Secretary-General Liaqat Baloch called upon the US government to arrest blasphemer Terry Jones and award him a deterrent punishment, or hand him over to some Islamic country for trial.

He said since Jones had been committing crime against the Muslims, they (the Muslims) had the right to demand his custody from the US the way the US had got CIA agent Raymond Davis released and was now demanding the release of Dr Shakil Afridi.

He also called for an apology by the US on this score failing which the world would become insecure for the Americans. He also urged the Pakistani Christians to join the Muslims in the condemnation of the blasphemous film.

MWM: Majlis-i-Wahdat-Muslimeen (MWM) also took out a protest procession from Jamia Mosque (Al-Husain) here at Ferozepur Road.

Speaking on the occasion, MWM leader Syed Abbas Naqvi said the recent release of the blasphemous film had exposed enemies of Islam and Muslims. He said the Muslims would continue their protest across Pakistan and other countries till the arrest of the filmmaker.

Demonstrations against the film were held in Toba Tek Singh, Vehari, Bahawalpur and Sargodha.

TOBA TEK SINGH. At a demonstration in Gojra, Abdul Ali Ghazali, Rehmatullah, Qari Noor Ahmad, Rana Muhammad Tariq and Engineer Awais Nabeel Zahid urged the Muslim countries to take a joint stand on the film.

In Toba, the JI held a protest meeting wherein Dr Zahid Sattar demanded that Pakistan sever its diplomatic relations with America.

VEHARI: A demo by religious parties and traders’ groups raised slogans against the US and Israel. Speakers, including Tufail Warraich, Afzal Hashmi, Arshad Bhatti and Waqas Hinjra the US and Western governments were patronizing the blasphemer.

BAHALWAPUR: The JI organised a rally to condemn the film.

The participants raised slogans against the US and Israel and speakers demanded that the government lodge protest with the US government.

SARGODHA: Scores of protesters gathered outside mosques after the Friday prayer and tore American flags.

The District Bar Association also condemned the film and passed a resolution against America and observed that America was the enemy of Muslims and Pakistan.

MULTAN: To condemn the blasphemous movie, scores of the activists of JI, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Imamia Student Organisation, Jamatud Dawa, Tehreek Hurmat-e-Rasool, Jamiat Tulba Arabia, Tanzeem Al-Saeed Al-Alami, Al-Muhammadia Students Organization, and the students of Jamia Anwarul Aloom held protest demonstrations at Eidgah Chowk, Masoom Shah Road and Chowk Clock Tower.

Speakers said those blaming the Muslims for extremism and terrorism were sowing extremism through such controversial measures.

They said the US and a part of West were continuously revealing the anti-Islam policies despite the fact that no religion of the world allowed to insult of any personality particularly a prophet.