All Pakistan Ulema Council and Pakistan Interfaith League on Monday formed an Alliance to promote Interfaith Harmony and Peace in the country and stand united to curb all acts of religious extremism.
Both the parties decided to form a special committee for investigating the present situation regarding the Blasphemy case whereby an 11 year old Christian girl Rimsha Massih has been accused of burning Quranic scripture. The committee comprises of Maulana Tahir-ul-Ashrafi, Chairman All Pakistan Ulema Council, Sajid Ishaq, Chairman Pakistan Interfaith League, Chairman Tehrik e Tahaffuz-e-Madaris e Deenya Maulana Zahid Mehmood Qasmi, General Secretary Khatam-e-Naboowat Maulana Yousaf Hassan, Sarbarah Jameeat-e-Ulema Ahle-Hadees Qazi Abdul Qadeer Khamosh, Additional Session Judge (Retd) & Divisional President Pakistan Interfaith League Gabriel Francis, and Assistant Commissioner (Retd) & Divisional President Pakistan Interfaith League Advocate Aslam Bhatti.
The Special Committee assigned the task of investigating the Rimsha Case to Gabriel Francis, Additional Session Judge (Retd) and Divisional President Pakistan Interfaith League to work in close collaboration with Police and concerned authorities and present the findings of the investigation to the Special Committee.
A Joint Consultative Session of Pakistan Interfaith League and All Pakistan Ulema Council was held in Islamabad on Monday, which was chaired by Sajid Ishaq, Chairman Pakistan Interfaith League (PIL) and CEC Member PTI and Maulana Tahir-ul-Ashrafi, Chairman All Pakistan Ulema Council.
The participants included Chairman Tehrik e Tahaffuz-e-Madaris e Deenya Maulana Zahid Mehmood Qasmi, General Secretary Khatam-e-Naboowat Maulana Yousaf Hassan, Sarbarah Jameeat-e-Ulema Ahle-Hadees Qazi Abdul Qadeer Khamosh,Additional Session Judge (Retd) & Divisional President Pakistan Interfaith League Gabriel Francis, Assistant Commissioner (Retd) & Divisional President Pakistan Interfaith League Advocate Aslam Bhatti, other renowned Muslim and Christian religious leaders, Sikh and Hindu representatives. The victimised families of Meherabadi were also present at the Press Conference.
They reflected upon the current situation and the growing threat to the non-Muslims of Pakistan. It was discussed with great concern that over the past few years innumerable innocent people were wrongly accused and killed in the name of religion.
Chairman Pakistan Interfaith League (PIL) Sajid Ishaq expressed grave concern that incidents pertaining to religious extremism in the country have reached an alarming stage and if all Pakistanis do not unite at this point in time by setting aside their religions, religious beliefs and religious differences, to curb the growing extremist behaviors we would soon be faced by uninhabited sectarian violence which would be beyond the control of any government or religious party.
Chairman PIL stressed upon the need to bring the culprits to justice in order to discourage such horrendous incidents in the future which destroy the lives and livelihoods of hundreds and thousands of non-Muslim families who are otherwise living a harmless existence. The chairman implored the nation to understand the importance of interfaith harmony in light of the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that inculcate in us the habit of understanding others, accepting non-Muslims as equal citizens of the state, protecting and safeguarding the rights of non-Muslims and tolerating each other on the basis of humanity.
Expressing his views, Chairman All Pakistan Ulema Council, Maulana Tahir-ul-Ashrafi condemned extremism in the name of religion and demanded that the government should combat against such extremist forces who are not only destroying peace within the country but are actively working to tarnish the name of Pakistan among the international community. He said that Islam is a way of life which teaches us compassion for others, unconditional justice, immense patience, empathy for the less blessed and above all it lays great stress on providing protection to the non-Muslims.
He was aggrieved in stating that such acts that are being committed by a few negative elements of the society are misleading others into misinterpreting Islam as a religion of violence.
All Pakistan Ulema Council and Pakistan Interfaith League demanded of the government to initiate joint and unbiased investigation of Rimsha case comprising a team of Christian and Muslim representatives; investigation findings to be made public, determine age and mental health of Rimsha and ensure safe return and future safety of victimized Christian families of Meherabadi and compensate asset and property loss of these victimized families.
It also demanded accountability of those who wrongly accused, instigated and ignited the situation for their vested interests in the name of religious extremism and unjustly accused a minor 11 year old girl-child of a grave crime which was beyond her comprehension due to her mental illness stated as Down’s Syndrome.
The meeting demanded award of severe punishment to the guilty for the first time in the history of the nation, who misused the Blasphemy Laws for their vested interests.
Ulema Council, Pak Interfaith League to investigate Rimsha Massih case
