ISLAMABAD: A case has been registered against Haroon Rasheed, son of former naib khateeb of Lal Masjid Maulana Ghazi Abdul Rasheed, and others on charge of criminal intimidation, police said on Friday.

The case was registered in response to a complaint lodged by a spokesman of Shuhada Foundation Hafiz Ihtasham Ahmed. He said Mr Rasheed along with other armed persons had occupied the house of Lal Masjid’s naib khateeb for the last couple of days. The complainant said he had gone to the mosque to offer Asr prayers and met Maulana Abdul Aziz on Jan 30.

He said in the mosque Mr Rasheed approached him and asked him to leave. They also threatened me with dire consequences, he alleged.

Talking to Dawn, senior officers of the police and the capital administration said so far no action had been taken on the FIR and efforts were in progress to resolve the issue peacefully.

Some local Ulema are assisting the capital administration in holding negotiations with them, they added.

These Ulema offered their services to assist in the negotiation as the two persons presented some demands, the officers said. Their demands included the slot of khateeb of the mosque, a piece of land for Jamia Hafsa.

Police deployment was made around the mosque to avoid any unpleasant incident, the officers stated.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2020