- Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Tahir Ashrafi says terrorists have ‘no link with Islam or Pakistan’
- Ulema body announces support for govt’s anti-terrorism steps, urges govt to refer cases of the assassination of various religious scholars, students, teachers and doctors in military courts.
The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Friday announced unflinching support to the government for eliminating terrorism and extremism from the country, saying that terrorism must not be linked with religion and madrassas.
A joint declaration issued after the International Peace Conference organised by PUC supported the 21st constitutional amendment and urged the government to refer the cases of the assassination of various religious scholars, students, teachers and doctors in military courts.
The conference was presided over by PUC Chairman Muhammad Tahir Ashrafi in Jamia Mosque Maaz Bin Jabal.
“Terrorists do not have any link with Islam or Pakistan,” said Ashrafi.
The joint declaration urged the adversaries of madrassas to pinpoint mosques and seminaries involved in promoting extremism, adding that terrorists must not be linked with any religion or sect.
The joint declaration demanded the revisiting of interior and foreign policy and urged the government to avoid interfering in the affairs of neighbouring countries and impose a complete ban on militants, armed groups and extortionists.
The conference strongly condemned the massacre of students of Army Public School in Peshawar and said that terrorism, barbarism do not have any link with shariah or Islam. The conference demanded from the government to immediately apprehend those responsible for the Peshawar massacre.
Quoting various ahadith and Quranic verses, the declaration stated that the killing of one person is tantamount to killing the whole mankind, and the murderer of innocent people would “forever remain in hell”.
The conference expressed solidarity with the families of the killed students of Army Public School, Peshawar and offered fateha for the departed souls.
The conference demanded Nishan-e-Haider for the martyred principal, teachers and students of APS.
The moot also expressed deep sorrow and anguish over the recent terror incidents in Europe and urged spiritual leaders of all religions to play their role in promoting tolerance and harmony in the world.
The conference observed that Islam and the constitution of Pakistan has already defined the rights of non-Muslims, and demanded provision of rights to non-Muslims without any discrimination, stating that it is the responsibility of the government to provide rights to non-Muslims in light of the teachings of the Holy Quran.
The conference urged “the quarters involved in playing politics in the name of madrassas to avoid vitiating the congenial atmosphere of the country”.
The conference welcomed media, ambassadors and NGOs to visit any madrassa and check what was being taught there. The conference vowed to promote harmony between various religions, stating that harmony was the need of the hour.
“Peace is only possible by granting rights to minorities. The leaders of various sects and religion must play their role in extremism and terrorism,” said the participants.
It was decided that PUC would establish a “Daraul Ufta” which will guide and help the people for 24 hours. It was also decided that PUC would also establish a Modern Research Centre. The conference urged all segments of society to avoid being part of the “vilification campaign against madrassas”.