HYDERABAD, July 30: The Sunni Tehrik has alleged that for the last few years, the mosques of Ahl-i-Sunnat Jamaat are being occupied by force and complaints have been made to the authorities but to no avail.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, Mohammad Khalid Qadri, Abdul Majeed Bahlam and others said that indifferent attitude of the authorities to the religious issue was encouraging the extremist elements and those who believed in sectarianism.

They said that miscreants belonging to a banned outfit on last Friday forcibly entered Madina Masjid, Sikandarabad, Tandojam, belonging to Ahl-i-Sunnat Jamaat, and attacked Jahangir Attari. They said that an FIR was lodged with the Tandojam police but none of the accused had so far been arrested and they were issuing threats of dire consequences to the caretakers of the mosque. They said that the Tandojam SHO had locked the mosque which was an illegal act.

They warned that Ahl-i-Sunnat Jamaat would not tolerate any hooliganism and accused a component of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal of supporting the extremist elements.The ST leaders claimed that the mosque had been constructed on the land donated by Ali Mohammad Nahiyoon, who belonged to Ahl-i-Sunnat Jamaat (Barelvi sect). They said that the chairman of Tandojam-II union council justice committee had given a decision in favour of Ahl-i-Sunnat Jamaat on December 2, 2006, and the Tandojam TPO had also given a similar decision.

They said that different cases had been lodged with the Tandojam police station at different times against the extremist elements but no action had been taken against them.

The ST leaders claimed that Mohammadi Masjid in UC-16, City taluka, Hyderabad, belonging to Ahl-i-Sunnat Jamaat, had been forcibly occupied by the members of a banned outfit. They said that Mr Bahlam, who held power of attorney of the mosque and adjacent shops, was being threatened with dire consequences.

They alleged that an office-bearer of the Hyderabad chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League, who earlier belonged to an extremist organisation, had issued threats to Mr Bahlam on telephone on July 29.

They urged the PML leadership to take notice of the threats.

They said that in Masoom Shah colony, Cantonment area, members of a banned outfit were trying to construct a mosque on plot No. 463 and 464 in violation of a Sindh government order of Jan 26, 2002, directing the authorities concerned not to allow construction of a mosque and seminary in the Ahl-i-Sunnat locality without the permission of the area residents.

They said that they had sent complaints to the DCO, DPO and the Cantonment Board chief executive officer but they had taken no action.

They said that many mosques already existed in the locality and wondered why people from other areas were trying to construct a mosque there.

They demanded of the president, federal interior minister, Sindh home secretary and IG to ensure handing over the possession of the Tandojam mosque to Ahl-i-Sunnat Jamaat and order the arrest of the accused nominated in the FIR.

They demanded that the possession of Mohammadi Masjid be handed over to Mr Bahlam and the construction of the disputed mosque in Masoom Shah colony be stopped forthwith to avoid breach of peace.

The ST leaders pledged to continue struggle against extremism, terrorism and sectarianism.