Mayor, political leaders oppose plan to demolish mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar

Peshawar [Pakistan], November 24 (ANI): Amid controversy over the proposed demolition of the Speen Jumaat Mosque, the mayor of Peshawar, chairmen of several tehsils as well as a number of religious and political leaders have offered their support to the mosque protection committee and opposed the district administration's plan, Dawn reported.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Peshawar Mayor Haji Zubair Ali said that the district administration must not get involved in the Speen Jumaat issue as they do not want to see a clash between people and administration.
His statement comes as the district administration has planned to demolish the Speen Jumaat, a mosque in Peshawar due to its "dilapidated condition."
"The district administration must desist from any intervention in the Speen Jumaat issue as we do not want a clash between people and administration that can result in chaos," Dawn quoted Haji Zubair Ali as saying in the press conference.
Peshawar Mayor Haji Zubair Ali announced Rs 15 million for renovation, beautification and improvement of the sewage system of the mosque, as per the Dawn report. He said that the behaviour of the district administration officials demonstrated that the political party was pressurising them. Haji Zubair Ali stated that no one will be permitted to utilise the land of the Peshawar metropolitan government.
Furthermore, Haji Zubair Ali said that people were thankful to the Khalil tribe for giving their land for the construction of the mosque. He pledged to protect the mosque and asserted that they will not let anyone use the land for any other purpose.
Before the press conference, all the leaders held a meeting to discuss the current situation regarding the mosque. Peshawar mayor Haji Zubair Ali, JUI-F leader Maulana Amanullah Haqqani, Mathra tehsil chairman Faridullah, Pashtakhara tehsil chairman Haroon Siffat, PML-N leader Arbab Khizr Hayat, Mufti Naeem Jan, Maulana Rafiullah Usmani and members of the committee for the protection of Speen Jumaat were all part of the meeting.
"We will protect the mosque and will not allow anyone to use this precious land for any other purpose," Dawn quoted Haji Zubair Ali as saying.
"No one will be allowed to use the land of the Peshawar metropolitan government in the presence of the relevant law and institution," he added.
Meanwhile, JUI-F leader Amanullah Haqqani asserted that the demolition of the mosque for commercial purposes will not be permitted, Dawn reported. He stated that different statements from the district have further raised their concerns.
Haqqani stressed that the district administration had previously announced that a plaza will not be built on the site of the mosque but they admitted that the land will be used for commercial purposes. Issuing a warning to the district administration, Amanullah Haqqani asserted that the district administration will be responsible for the consequences if the mosque is demolished. (ANI)