An unusual situation emerged in Gojra, a town in Punjab’s Toba Tek Singh district, after the City Police Station registered a case against a mosque imam for reciting Durood Sharif on loudspeaker before the call to prayer (Azan). The incident triggered strong reactions among local lawyers and members of the public.
When the case against the imam was not withdrawn, former president of the Gojra Bar Association, Advocate Toqeer Ashraf Khan, went to the mosque located in front of the DSP’s office and openly recited Durood on the loudspeaker.
Addressing the DSP, he challenged authorities to register a case against him as well if reciting Durood Sharif is considered a crime.
He argued that under national laws, reciting Durood Sharif before or after Azan on a loudspeaker is permissible, and therefore, the case filed against the imam is unjustified.
Meanwhile, lawyers also protested against the registration of the case and announced a strike by the Gojra Bar.
They have submitted a formal request at the City Police Station, calling for action against the DSP and the complainant who initiated the case.
The matter has now sparked a significant local debate regarding religious freedoms, loudspeaker regulations, and the proper interpretation of relevant laws.
