Describing detention of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Vice President Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi as illegal, Central Shia Ulema Council on Saturday demanded his release before Muharramul Haram.
Speaking at a joint news conference here, the Ulema maintained that President Islami Tehrik Pakistan, Allama Naqvi had nothing to do with the murder of any MNA and the case against him was fictitious. Ex-Senator M Jawad Hadi, Allama M Ramzan, Syed Wizarat Naqvi, Allama Iftikhar Hussain Shah and Syed Sikandar Abbas spoke to the newsmen after the Ulema Council meeting.
They said that keeping in view the internal and external situation of the country, the council had adopted a peaceful way of agitation to get Allama Naqvi released.
The scholars demanded open trial for Naqvi's alleged involvement in the killing of Maulana Aazam Tariq, who was gunned down in Islamabad last year and Sajid Naqvi's name was also mentioned in the FIR.
A conference of religious scholars will be organised in Islamabad on February 19, to protest against the treatment being meted out to the Tehrik chief. Likewise, the local and international human right organisations will be apprised of the matter.
In reply to a question, they said the others co-accused in the murder, Allama Sibtain Kazmi and Amanullah Sial, were in England.
The Ulema demanded of the government to make foolproof security arrangements for the month of Muharram.