LAHORE - More than 30 religious parties have announced launch of a movement to protect, what they called, Islamic identity of Pakistan.

For the purpose, the parties will take out a rally in Lahore today (Thursday) while the next demo would be staged in Sukkar on November 25.

The announcement was made during the Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Conference hosted by the Jamaat-e-Islami at Mansoora Wednesday.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was the chief guest at the event that lasted for more than two hours. A steering committee will be formed to draw next line of action ‘to fight off the PTI’s plan to accept the status of Israel and amend the blasphemy laws’.

Through a joint resolution, the conference condemned ‘the PTI government’s acts against the basics of Islamic teachings and agenda of the western powers’.

The resolution condemned the acquittal of Aasia Bibi in blasphemy case by the Supreme Court.

It demanded the government file a review petition against the verdict and full court hear the case and the name of Aasia be placed on the ECL till the final verdict.

The resolution also demanded the SC “hear the opinion of Islamic Ideology Council and religious scholars while hearing the case”.

It also condemned the killing of JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq. The meeting said any efforts to amend law declaring Ahmadis as kafir will be resisted with full force. It also demanded the government include Islamic laws in LLB and different courses of the higher judiciary.

Earlier, Fazl said he had no doubt government was ‘trying to endorse the agenda of Israel and Jewish lobby in Pakistan’. He said, “All acts of the government were undemocratic, dictatorial and it was proved it was puppet government backed by western lobbies.”

He said all opposition parties including PPP and PML-N should join hand against the PTI government.

Asadullah Bhutto, Hafiz Ibtisam Elahi, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Hafiz Kazim Raza, Khawaja Moeenuddin Koreja, Rana Shafique Pasrori, Maulana Amir Hamza and others also spoke on occasion.

The MMA planned a rally on The Mall on Thursday. The religious leaders claimed that thousands of people will participate in the rally.