Religious leaders from different schools of thought have declared Friday a day of mourning and prayers to honour the victims of the Bajaur terror incident and denounce terrorism that has plagued the nation.

Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Council of Islamic Ideology Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz, Pir Naqib-ur-Rehman, Sahibzada Hassan Haseeb-ur-Rehman, Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi, Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq Haqqani, Maulana Ziaullah Shah Bukhari, Maulana Muhammad Islam Qadri, Maulana Muhammad Ayub Safdar and others gave a joint call for observance of “day of mourning, condemnation and prayers” on Friday.

They said that sermons should be delivered during Friday congregations at mosques across the country to condemn the menace of terrorism and call for bringing the perpetrators of the heinous act to justice.

They said a joint declaration would be circulated in all the mosques, urging Imams and Khutaba to condemn terrorism in their Friday sermons, besides demanding early arrest of those responsible for the Bajaur incident, and praying for the salvation of the martyrs and the speedy recovery of the injured.

They said the public would be sensitized about the “Pagham-e-Pakistan” that suicide and militant attacks were “Haram” and against the Shariah.

The leaders belonging to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Pakistan Ulema Council, Shia Ulema Council, Wifaq-ul-Madaris Al-Arabia Pakistan, Muttahida Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith, International Khatm-e-Nabuwat Movement and Muttahida Ulema Council also called for national unity and solidarity as it was the only way to defeat the mindset that justifies terrorism and the shedding of blood of innocent people.