LAHORE - Maulana Dr Sarfraz Naeemi Al-Azhari, who was martyred in a suicide attack Friday, was laid to rest at Jamia Naeemia amid tears, sobs and sorrows on Saturday evening. Thousands of people converged at the grave, despite tight security and hurdles put up around Jamia Naeemia, to attend the last rituals and pay homage to the martyr. Touching scenes were witnessed as the coffin was lowered into the grave. The Maulanas admirers and disciples could not control their emotions and wept profusely. Dozens of floral wreaths were laid at the grave by various political, religious, educational and social organisations and eminent personalities. Owing to security reasons and the possible provocation by the people the body of Dr Naeemi was brought to the Railway Ground by helicopter which flew from a helipad near Nasir Bagh after the funeral prayers. From Railway Ground, the body was brought to the last resting place in ambulance. Earlier, thousands of people attended the Namaz-i-Janaza at Nasir Bagh amid tight security arrangements. The vast ground of the garden was packed to the capacity by the mourners who lined up for the prayers from three directions-north, south and east. People continued to pour into the garden by covering long distance on foot as the police has barricaded all roads leading to Nasir Bagh. The funeral has to be delayed for 45 minutes to wait for the intending participants. Owing to scarcity of space inside the garden, people lined up on the Lower Mall, The Mall and Bank Road to offer funeral prayers. Prominent political personalities, ulema, mashaikh, disciples of Naeemi and thousands of people from all walks of lives participated in the funeral prayers. The participants also included Pervaiz Malik, Mian Marghoob, Pervaiz Rasheed, Dr Assad Ashraf, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Bilal Yasin, Khawaja Ahmed Hassan, Sardar Ayyaz Sadiq, Mehar Ishtiaq Ahmed, Aslam Saleemi, Hafiz Idrees, Amirul Azeem, Ijaz Chaudhry, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, Pir Kabir Ali Shah and Syed Asif Ali Shah. Hafiz Raghib Naeemi led the funeral prayer, following Sheikhul Hadith Jamia Naeemia Maulana Abdul Aleem suggested that it was more appropriate that son of Shaheed Dr Sarfraz Naeemi should lead the prayers. Body of Sarfraz Naeemi was brought to the venue of funeral prayer from King Edward Medical University in an ambulance with official protocol. Before the prayers, President Ulema and Mushaikh Council MNA Sahibzada Fazl-e-Karim addressed the participants who unanimously declared Dr Naeemi as Shaheed-e-Pakistan. Condemning suicide attack on Dr Sarfraz Naeemi, Fazl-e-Karim said that Taliban were working against Islam and Pakistan. He said that Islam has nothing to do with violence and suicide attacks. He said that not only Ahle Sunnah but the entire nation has consensus that this is terrorism which is against the spirit of Islam. He said that ulema and people from Ahle Sunnah were ready to give any sacrifice for establishing real peace in the country. Stressing upon unity among people from all school of thought, he said that conspiracy of igniting sectarian violence in the country would be foiled. Talking to the media before funeral prayers, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman appealed to the disciples of Dr Sarfraz Naeemi to remain peaceful and bear the loss with courage and fortitude. He said that that the ulema and people from Ahle Sunnah had been peaceful in the past and they would continue to do the same in future and no damage would be caused to public and private properties. More stories and pictures on page 13