Religious group building mosque on LDA-owned plots

[DaRk WaVe]

Build a Mosque illegally & kill any one who comes in to stop

Religious group building mosque on LDA-owned plots​

* Police refuses to act against illegal occupants despite LDA requests, locals protest against the construction

By Imran Chaudhry

LAHORE: Clerics from a religious party have begun to illegally build a mosque on government property in the Green Town area while threatening to kill any resident on blasphemy charges if they attempt to stop them.

Locals have gone to the police and authorities concerned, but the authorities are unwilling to halt the illegal construction on the plot despite the Lahore Development Authority’s written request and application, as well as protests by the locals.

Residents of 2-C-II, Qadri Chowk, Green Town told Daily Times that a number of religious clerics had started constructing a structure on vacant plots adjacent to each other a couple of days back.

The residents asked them if they were the owners of these plots and what they were building over there, to which the constructors replied that they were building a mosque on the site and although they were not the owners of the plots, they have gotten permission from Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the MNA of the area, Naseer Bhutta, to occupy the plots and build a mosque.

Finding the replies of the occupants “inadequate and strange”, the residents informed the LDA authorities about the matter, who then sent their officers to lodge a first information report against the illegal occupants and their activities with the police.

However, police is abstaining from taking any action against the occupants, despite written requests and applications from both the LDA and local residents.

The locals have alleged that police, including the SHO and the superintendent of police concerned, were also supporting the occupants and were “merely wasting time to let the occupants build a religious structure on the site, which will make it almost impossible for the LDA or residents to demolish due to the religious sentiments of the masses and the support of extremists in the city”. Several residents even held a protest demonstration on the spot against the police and the illegal occupants.

The residents added that instead of taking any action against the illegal occupants on the request of the LDA and the locals, the authorities had initially told them that they could not stop anybody from offering prayers, but they would halt any illegal occupation on the site.

They said the residents would expand their protests against the PML-N-led Punjab government and the local MNA if the occupants were allowed to continue their work on the plots.

SP Suhail Sukhera told Daily Times that the police was not there to support any party, but to make sure that nobody took the law into their own hands. However, LDA Director Amir Abbas Khan and LDA Green Town Estate Officer Shahid Hameed were also present on the spot, trying to bring a stop to the illegal construction. They told Daily Times that the plots were property of the LDA and the clerics were illegally occupying them.

Representing the occupants, Maulana Ibtesam Elahi Zaheer – who was supervising the construction process along with his brothers and other associates – told Daily Times that his organisation had gotten court orders to construct the mosque on the spot and his associates would provide the documents concerned to the media very soon.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C08\01\story_1-8-2010_pg13_1

 

[Kompromat]

Building a Mosque on an occupied Land - I dont know how on earth their Prayers would be accepted , all they will do there is Propegenda and spread Religious Hatered .

Outlandish !

 

[kugga]

Build a Mosque illegally & kill any one who comes in to stop

Religious group building mosque on LDA-owned plots​

* Police refuses to act against illegal occupants despite LDA requests, locals protest against the construction

By Imran Chaudhry

LAHORE: Clerics from a religious party have begun to illegally build a mosque on government property in the Green Town area while threatening to kill any resident on blasphemy charges if they attempt to stop them.

Locals have gone to the police and authorities concerned, but the authorities are unwilling to halt the illegal construction on the plot despite the Lahore Development Authority’s written request and application, as well as protests by the locals.

Residents of 2-C-II, Qadri Chowk, Green Town told Daily Times that a number of religious clerics had started constructing a structure on vacant plots adjacent to each other a couple of days back.

The residents asked them if they were the owners of these plots and what they were building over there, to which the constructors replied that they were building a mosque on the site and although they were not the owners of the plots, they have gotten permission from Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the MNA of the area, Naseer Bhutta, to occupy the plots and build a mosque.

Finding the replies of the occupants “inadequate and strange”, the residents informed the LDA authorities about the matter, who then sent their officers to lodge a first information report against the illegal occupants and their activities with the police.

However, police is abstaining from taking any action against the occupants, despite written requests and applications from both the LDA and local residents.

The locals have alleged that police, including the SHO and the superintendent of police concerned, were also supporting the occupants and were “merely wasting time to let the occupants build a religious structure on the site, which will make it almost impossible for the LDA or residents to demolish due to the religious sentiments of the masses and the support of extremists in the city”. Several residents even held a protest demonstration on the spot against the police and the illegal occupants.

The residents added that instead of taking any action against the illegal occupants on the request of the LDA and the locals, the authorities had initially told them that they could not stop anybody from offering prayers, but they would halt any illegal occupation on the site.

They said the residents would expand their protests against the PML-N-led Punjab government and the local MNA if the occupants were allowed to continue their work on the plots.

SP Suhail Sukhera told Daily Times that the police was not there to support any party, but to make sure that nobody took the law into their own hands. However, LDA Director Amir Abbas Khan and LDA Green Town Estate Officer Shahid Hameed were also present on the spot, trying to bring a stop to the illegal construction. They told Daily Times that the plots were property of the LDA and the clerics were illegally occupying them.

Representing the occupants, Maulana Ibtesam Elahi Zaheer – who was supervising the construction process along with his brothers and other associates – told Daily Times that his organisation had gotten court orders to construct the mosque on the spot and his associates would provide the documents concerned to the media very soon.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

I don't think locals are really concerned over this.. it's not there land, why would they be concerned over this.....

Nyways the clerics should be stopped for doing such illegal activity

 

[Iggy]

lolz only in South Asia..If some one is trying to take your land for road devalopment,just build a small religious monument near your land..no one will dare touch it not expand that area fear of destroying a religious monument

 

[Justin Joseph]

Is this really a news??????

In India we have thousands of temples, mosque and mazars on govt. land illegally encroached upon.

 

[RescueRanger]

Is this really a news??????

In India we have thousands of temples, mosque and mazars on govt. land illegally encroached upon.

Its the same in Pakistan, the only difference is this happens to be Posh Government Land.

 

[sparklingway]

Remember Jamia Hafsa on illegally occupied land? They then occupied a public library to "protest" as well. On a live talkshow, Maulana Aziz said that he was "willing" to pay a "minimum" amount for the occupied land but the government must not ask to move them.

Mullah-cracy.

 

[Coltsfan]

I don't think locals are really concerned over this.. it's not there land, why would they be concerned over this.....

It is this mentality that bolsters the anti-social elements like these encroacher.

Bravo!!

 

[kugga]

It is this mentality that bolsters the anti-social elements like these encroacher.

Bravo!!

I know but this is a common mentality here no body wants to care about others specially government....

No one cares if any one occupies a goverment owned land...

 

[Imran Khan]

again lal masjid drama what the hell mullahs want? if they have ball pay millions and make mosqe on mall road.

 

[rohailmalhi]

Yeah its very wrong .U just cant make a mosque on a illeagally occupied land .
I think yeh Liaquat Balouch ho ga notorious for constructing mosque on sumones land and then after sumtime sells tht land to a sum strong party. which can get tht plot transfered to there name .(by bribing govt officials).

Actually they take cover of Religion to do wrong acts which in turn brings bad name to Islam.

 

[RescueRanger]

again lal masjid drama what the hell mullahs want? if they have ball pay millions and make mosqe on mall road.

Apparently this segment of Pakistani society can't see a national calamity when it smacks them in the face. Instead of bowing in prayer for strength and guidance they continue down the path of hypocrisy.

They say immas are the Shepard's of the flock that are his people, a fine example these Shepard's are setting for their flock to follow.

 

[sparklingway]

Extending this usual illegal occupation scenario, during Friday prayers and many times during Maghrib prayers mosques close down a section of the road for people to pray. In busy commercial areas it becomes a problem.

You are not supposed to cause inconvenience to others while you're praying.

 

[sparklingway]

EDITORIAL: Opiate of the masses

The news of a band of clerics from a religious party constructing an illegal mosque on government property in Green Town, Lahore, served as a reminder to our authorities that their writ was being challenged. It was good to see that the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) took quick action late night after Daily Times’ exclusive reportage and demolished the illegal building. A case has also been registered against 50 people and so far seven people have been arrested. Since the clerics in Green Town had threatened to kill people on blasphemy charges if the illegal construction is stopped, they should be locked up behind bars. More such illegal encroachments should be identified and demolished. When religion is used as a tool to create fear amongst the masses, it is time to think logically and aim for a secular state instead of letting the state be a tool in the hands of vested interests.

Building illegal mosques is not a new phenomenon in this land of the pure. In the not-so-distant past, the notorious Lal Masjid issue started with the demolition of illegal constructions by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in Islamabad. Mosques built illegally were razed but the Musharraf government acquiesced in the demands of the Lal Masjid clerics to rebuild them after they terrorised the citizens of Islamabad. This only made things worse as the fanatics, high on their ‘religious’ power, started making demands that bordered on absurdity. If there is a lesson to be learnt from that whole fiasco, it is that the state should never give in to the demands of religious zealots. Islam does not teach us to occupy land illegally to build mosques or seminaries. These so-called religious clergy have to be taken to task for maligning the true meaning of our religion.

Pakistan should take a leaf out of its old wing, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), where its Supreme Court has struck down the bulk of the controversial 5th Amendment by reinstating a ban on Islamic political parties. Bangladesh’s original constitution was secular in nature but following a coup in 1975, the constitution was amended and given a religious tinge. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that she was “not in favour of banning any political party”. This may have more to do with the fact that the Jamaat-e-Islami is a large political party with some clout. Earlier, the Bangladesh High Court had outlawed punishments handed down in fatwas (religious edicts), after a series of cases of Muslim women being beaten and caned. Not only that, the Bangladesh government has also banned books by Maulana Maududi because they “encourage terrorism and militancy”. It is time that Pakistan follows in the footsteps of Bangladesh, also a Muslim country but which is paving a path towards the traditions laid down by its founding fathers. Mr Jinnah had also visualised a secular Pakistan but this was not to be. Soon after his death the Objectives Resolution inseminated the seeds of religious intolerance into our body politic. The religious parties in the Indian subcontinent were the most vocal in their opposition to the new state, but as soon as Pakistan came into being, they became its ‘guardians’. Appeasement of religious fundamentalists has led to an intolerant society where hate-literature is sold freely and religious minorities are persecuted. The state’s role has been far from ideal. State support to militant and sectarian outfits has bloodied our soil while our history textbooks have adopted a religious colour.

John Locke introduced the idea of separating the church from the state back in the 17th century and since then many countries have adopted this secular, democratic model. In Pakistan, there is a misconception about secularism being ‘anti-religion’ when it is actually ‘religion-neutral’. If we are to make this country a progressive state, we must get rid of obscurantist and reactionary ideas so as to imbibe religious tolerance amongst our ranks and make Pakistan a state that can hold its head up high in today’s world.

 

[ajpirzada]

its a religious war going on within different sects. each is trying to spread its influence through various means. and building a mosque is the best way to go. in an overall religious society like pakistan, not many will raise their voice against an illegal construction of a mosque and once the mosque is there you can get poor ppl leave their children with u which u can then align to ur way of thinking.

at the forefront of this race are those backed by arab world. islamabad is already gone. lets wait to know the next target.

governments will have to get their gutts together and take strong action against any illegal construction and especially buildings lik mosques which can be used to further a given agenda.