Afghan clerics have shown a mixed reaction to their Pakistani counterparts’ refusal to attend a joint summit, with some Afghan clerics blaming Pakistan Ulema Council for supporting the Afghan Taliban.
The Pakistan Ulema Council earlier announced that they would not be attending a planned summit between the two countries to build support against suicide bombings and facilitate the Afghan peace process.
In an official letter addressed to the Afghan clerics, Allama Tahir Ashrafi, head of the Pakistan Ulema Council, said they are not willing to criticise any of the Afghan Taliban’s past activities, nor would they issue a fatwa against them. The Pakistani clerics had previously said that they wanted the Taliban to also attend the conference.
But some Afghan clerics remain hopeful that despite the refusal from Pakistan, the summit could still take place.
“We want the Pakistani ulema not to decide based on emotions. They should come to talk on this big issue. Even if the Taliban do not attend the conference, we should reach to a conclusion in their absence,” said Sayed Hussain Alami Balkhi, member of the Afghan Ulema Council.
Other Afghan clerics expressed the determination to continue working towards peace even if their Pakistani counterparts refuse to meet.
“If the Pakistani ulema don’t attend the conference, the path to peace will not be closed, and there are others to help us. We will continue our efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan,” said Afghan cleric Maulvi Shafiullah Shafi Noorestani.
But some Afghan clerics blamed their Pakistani counterparts for having sympathies for the Afghan insurgents.
“The Pakistani ulema still haven’t cut their ties with the Taliban, so we must not expect them to issue a fatwa against them [Taliban] because of their own safety… The Pakistani ulema aren’t willing to take any step against the Taliban,” Maulawi Abdulhadi Hedayad said.
A global ulema conference was originally planned, but the Afghan Ulema Council decided to convene a joint Pak- Afghan cleric moot first. This joint conference, which was to be held this Thursday in Kabul, was to focus on Taliban activities, in particular suicide attacks, declaring them haram (sinful).
ASHRAFI CONTRADICTS:
Talking to Pakistan Today, Allama Tahir Ashrafi said the Pakistani ulema wanted the inclusion of Afghan Taliban in the negotiations because the talks would be futile without their presence.
“The Afghan Taliban are scattered in the region and a fatwa against suicide bombings would not produce the desired results. We issued a fatwa in 2002 but it has not deterred the Taliban from carrying out suicide bombings,” he said.
