Islamic parties\\\' hartal Sunday demanding Latif\\\'s arrest

Sammilito Islami Dal, a coalition of Islamic parties, is set to enforce a daylong nationwide hartal on Sunday demanding recently removed minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui’s trial for his disparaging remarks about Holy Hajj and Tabligh Jamaat. Maulana Zafrullah Khan, secretary general of the coalition, announced the shutdown programme at a press conference at the National Press Club on Wednesday, as the government has ‘failed’ to arrest Latif Siddiqui for his offensive remarks within their given deadline. Earlier on October 1, the coalition threatened to enforce a daylong countrywide hartal on the day (Oct 26) if the sacked minister was not arrested by Oct 22 for his rant on Holy Hajj. Latif Siddiqui at a views-exchange meeting with expatriates from Tangail on September 28 in the USA said, ‘During Hajj, so much of manpower is wasted. Over 2 million people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. They’ve no work, no production and they only cause deduction,’ according to a news agency.