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Pakistani religious parties have reacted strongly to raids by security agencies in nine mosques of Shia and Sunni sects following the banning of sectarian groups.
They condemned the raids at mosques and Imambargahs and alleged that 'certain elements' in the government were trying to provoke religious quarters, SADA news agency reported on Friday.
Pakistan police and paramilitary rangers on Wednesday night raided nine mosques and Imambargahs of Sunni and Shia sects and arrested around 20 people for possessing weapons.
Allama Hasan Turabi, the provincial chief of Tehrik-e-Jafferia Pakistan, said there was no justification of the raids on mosques and Imambargahs as these were not the places where illegal weapons were dumped.
He said whatever weapons the police and rangers recovered from Shia mosque or Imambargahs were licensed.
He said instead the government officials should have contacted the managements of mosques and could have examined the authenticity of the weapons and licenses amicably.
Muhammad Ahmed Madni of the Sipah-e-Sahaba warned that if the government did not give up its aggression, 'it should be ready to face a massive agitation'.
Allama Abbas Kumaili of Jafferia Council said the raids on mosques and Imambargahs were 'highly deplorable and shameful acts'.
He said the security agencies had failed in controlling robberies, carjackings and other offences, 'but were trying to malign the religious institutions'.
Indo-Asian News Service
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