▁local ▁and ▁national ▁groups . ▁However , ▁it ▁wasn ' t ▁without ▁criticism . ▁National ▁churches ▁belonging ▁to ▁various ▁Christian ▁denomin ations ▁in ▁Switzerland , ▁including ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁pointed ▁out ▁in ▁a ▁joint ▁statement ▁that ▁whilst ▁the ▁government ▁is ▁offering ▁Muslim s ▁a ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁mos que , ▁the ▁churches ▁are ▁facing ▁difficulty ▁in ▁finding ▁construction ▁sites ▁for ▁their ▁places ▁of ▁worship . ▁The ▁Swiss ▁evangel ical ▁party ▁respond ed ▁to ▁the ▁govern ments ▁offer ▁as ▁an ▁" un fortun ate ▁way ▁of ▁showing ▁preference ▁to ▁a ▁religious ▁minor ity ▁in ▁attack ing ▁the ▁religious ▁sent iments ▁of ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁[ res idents ▁of ▁Zur ich ] ." ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁issue ▁was ▁resolved ▁and ▁the ▁construction ▁project ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁green ▁light . ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁Am at ul ▁H af iz ▁Beg um , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁founder ▁of ▁the ▁Community , ▁Mir za ▁Gh ul am ▁A hm ad , ▁laid ▁the ▁foundation ▁stone ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁mos que ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁The ▁opening ▁ceremony ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁led ▁by ▁Sir ▁Muhammad ▁Za fr ul lah ▁Khan , ▁who ▁was ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁UN ▁General ▁Assembly . ▁Emil ▁Land olt , ▁the ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Zur ich ▁was ▁also ▁present . ▁The ▁mos que ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁Mah m ud ▁Mos que . ▁By ▁opening ▁the