ISLAMABAD — Tensions escalated in Pakistan’s capital on Monday as multiple religious organizations united to protest the overnight demolition of the historic Madni Mosque near Rawal Dam Chowk.
The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), along with several allied groups, staged demonstrations at the site, uprooting newly planted saplings by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in symbolic defiance. The mosque was reportedly torn down late Saturday night.
— Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan (@juipakofficial) August 11, 2025
JUI-F lawmaker Naeema Kishwar submitted a formal resolution in the National Assembly condemning the action, while the party’s Islamabad chief, Mufti Owais Aziz, pledged to launch legal proceedings against those responsible. He alleged that the government plans to demolish as many as 50 mosques across Islamabad and vowed to resist “any move against the sanctity of Islamic places of worship.”
Mufti Aziz also announced that religious leaders had unanimously agreed to seek the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) under blasphemy laws against Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials. “If the police refuse, we will consider them adversaries of Islam,” he declared, calling the mosque’s overnight destruction “an act of hostility towards the faith.”
He further accused the Frontier Corps of illegally occupying greenbelt areas along Embassy Road and Margalla Road, questioning why no action was taken against these encroachments while mosques were being targeted “in the name of beautification.”
Amid the growing unrest, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, along with senior Islamabad officials, met late Sunday with a delegation of clerics led by Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari. The talks concluded with an agreement to pause further action for 48 hours, pending a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to reach a final decision.
Responding to the allegations, Talal Chaudhry denied any wrongdoing, stressing that a madrassa on Murree Road was relocated with the full consent of its management. “A modern facility worth Rs40 million has been built at the new site, offering quality accommodation, meals, and religious education for 200 students,” he stated, assuring that any future mosque or madrassa relocations would involve full consultation with scholars and administrators.
However, the situation took a more volatile turn when Maulana Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid issued a call for jihad and announced a civil disobedience movement against the government. In a video statement from inside Lal Masjid—visibly armed—he issued stark threats, further heightening concerns over potential unrest in the capital.
