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Ulema played a huge role in creation of Pakistan: Shahbaz Sharif

Published: February 4, 2012

Punjab chief minister was addressing Seerat-un-Nabi conference in Lahore. PHOTO: APP/FILE

LAHORE: The ulema (religious leaders) played a huge role in the creation of Pakistan and they made several sacrifices under the Quaid-e-Azam’s leadership, said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday.

Sharif was addressing a Seerat-un-Nabi conference in Lahore to commemorate the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The minister said that there was no leader in the entire history who helped the spread of Islam and the concept of equity around the world other than the Prophet (PBUH).

“Now, there are millions and billions of Muslims living everywhere – from Casa Blanca all the way to Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

Reader Comments (46)

  • Mj
    Feb 4, 2012 - 2:24PM

    Stop distorting the facts Mr. Sharif. These ‘ulema’ are the same people who used to call Ali Jinnah ‘Kafir-e-Azam’ and Pakistan as ‘Napakistan”. I wouldn’t call that playing a huge role.

    And regarding the last point, it is bound to happen when you have an absolute monopoly in the marketplace of ideas and ideology in Muslim countries.

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  • John B
    Feb 4, 2012 - 2:33PM

    Hmm , is not a patronizing speech.

    He should have used the opportunity to address the role the Ulema in changing times and how it can function as a constructive force.

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  • dv sikka
    Feb 4, 2012 - 2:41PM

    The issue today is not who created Pakistan, it is who destroyed it. Pakistan people do not have the basic civic amenities. It is surviving on aid. Instead of a prosperous peaceful country it has become a center of terrorism. WHY ?. Was that the dream of Qaid-e-Azam. Today all see is destruction of minorities, was this the dream of Qaide-e-Azam. It is time for retrospection.

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  • Supressed, Opressed, Depressed
    Feb 4, 2012 - 2:47PM

    the love that the punjab government harbors for these so called religious leaders. protecting them from the law, giving them monthly stipends when they are detained for terrorist activities!

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  • saleem
    Feb 4, 2012 - 2:50PM

    These were Ulmas who gathered the Muslims for separate homeland but the entire credit goes to the pocket of Quaid-e-Azam who never went to jail for the achievement of Muslim country. Ulemas were tortured, killed and several were put behind bars by the British Raj. It is really a conspiracy against religion and religious people to undermine their role in the creation of pakistan.

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  • Rafaqat
    Feb 4, 2012 - 3:38PM

    @saleem:

    Chief minister Shahbaz needs to check his facts. The so called Ulema actually opposed Pakistan. Their contributions for Pakistan are zero. Their role today is regressive as they think they have monopoly over religion. Frankly, the society would be better off without them.

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  • Parvez
    Feb 4, 2012 - 3:42PM

    Pandering to the religious lot comes across as not only being ‘ in bad taste ‘ but shows signs of weakness. The Shareef brothers have simply ‘ lost the plot ‘.

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  • maheen usmani
    Feb 4, 2012 - 3:51PM

    What a distortion of history.. MashaAllah.

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  • Lord
    Feb 4, 2012 - 3:54PM

    Now they will issue certificate of patriotism.

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  • Amir
    Feb 4, 2012 - 4:24PM

    Everyone knows this ! Say something different Mr. Shareef.

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  • Talha
    Feb 4, 2012 - 4:43PM

    I am a history buff so I know who supported Pakistan and who didn’t.

    The Jamaat-e-Islami, Majlis-e-Ahrar (precursor to Khatme-Nabuwat) and the Deobandi Ulema in general opposed Pakistan.

    The only Deobandi to support Pakistan was Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani who was a mid level figure in the Deobandi leadership circle.

    The only two religious groups to give their full support to Pakistan were Ahmadi’s and Aga Khani’s. Both groups had a number of people in the Muslim League and their leaders had presided as Presidents of All India Muslim League.

    Many of the Ulema’s were with the Congress while the Muslim League was a party of progressive Muslims and those who hailed from minority sects.

    So Ulema’s role in creating Pakistan wasn’t huge, but it is sure is in destruction of it.

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  • Feb 4, 2012 - 4:47PM

    Put ur house in order first

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  • ZKhan
    Feb 4, 2012 - 4:49PM

    @Mj:
    How true you are!

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  • Ulama
    Feb 4, 2012 - 5:02PM

    SS is distorting the history. Jamiat Ulama Hind voiceferously rejected and opposed the partition of India, Jamat-e-Islami and Mulana Moududi opposed Muslim League and Jinnal tooth and nail. Mr. Saleem is right Ulama suffered a lot at the hands of British because the Ulama were struggling for Indian independence. Apart from Qaid-I-Azam and British Govt, Communist Party and Anjuman Ahmadiyya supported the creation of Pakistan and partition of India. Please stop blaming Ulama.

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  • sunny
    Feb 4, 2012 - 5:02PM

    Its a fact that the biggest Ulema Party, Jamiat -e -Ulema Hind, opposed Pakistan but there were so many other religious leaders like Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Osmani and others who struggled shoulder to shulder with other Muslim League leaders.

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  • Noise
    Feb 4, 2012 - 5:59PM

    Maybe Shahbaz Sharif is referring to the religious leaders of the Ismailis and Ahmadis, they dont seem to get any recognition despite their role in making Pakistan a reality. The rest of the mullahs hated Pakistan, although they were pretty quick to hijack it when they saw it was working.

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  • malik
    Feb 4, 2012 - 6:05PM

    The so-called Ulema never backed the demand for Pakistan.

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  • Ozymandias
    Feb 4, 2012 - 6:10PM

    I can’t wait till the elections and the complete annihilation of the PML-N

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  • M M Malik
    Feb 4, 2012 - 6:11PM

    The ulemas’ majority supported the Indian Congress and were against the partition of India. After partition, the ulemas migrated to Pakistan and were out of the political mainstream. To get into the mainstream the ulemas started the anti-Ahmadiyya movement. Mr. Sharif please refrain from distorting history.

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  • Salim
    Feb 4, 2012 - 6:39PM

    Shahbaz Sharif needs to read history of Pakistan movement.The Ulemas were never for Pakistan.Most of the time SS does not know what he is talking about.When was the last time he read any book??

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  • Optimist
    Feb 4, 2012 - 6:49PM

    Lets acknowledge the efforts of ‘Ulema’.. lets hand over the country to them (pun intended!). Sharifs had no role!

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  • Humanity
    Feb 4, 2012 - 7:15PM

    That these enemies of humanity are projected as saviors of Islam by the corrupt billionaires in the context of the sunnah of Rahmetullillaleem is utter blasphemy !! This man, the Khadim-e-Alaa, is absolutely shameless to concoct lies in the context on seerat-un-Nabi, while he panders to the hypocrites. The so called ulema after failing to prevent the creation Pakistan turned it into a laboratory of practicing juhl by propagating the mindset of violence. They preach and incite to murder, burn, rape and forcibly convert people who subscribe to a different belief. The so-called ulema called Jinnah Kaffir-e-Azam. They shamelessly migrated to the land they called naPakistan and destroyed it from with. The proof is in the pudding.

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  • Umair Ahmad
    Feb 4, 2012 - 7:17PM

    No they didn’t. Stop kissing up to these loons. Jamiat e Ulema e Hind was against creating Pakistan. PML N is a joke. Pakistan was actually created by secular main stream politicians. Maulvis were out of the picture until Bhutto started kissing up to Saudis which gave them a window of opportunity because Shia’s and Ahmadis won’t support the crazy’s in Ryadh.

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  • Karachiwalal
    Feb 4, 2012 - 8:09PM

    What??? is he in his mind… he has lost it. man ulemas were against the creation of pakistan and they had valid reasons for it which have been proven to be true over the years. So dont construct alternate histoty please Mr. CM

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  • Z Ali
    Feb 4, 2012 - 9:10PM

    @saleem: really?? Can you even name one of the so called ulema who made “sacrifices”?? Stop distorting history!!

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  • Homa
    Feb 4, 2012 - 9:15PM

    The ulema and punjab govt were responsible for the ethnic clensing and genocide of the hindus and sikhs in 1947, even according to muslim scholars.
    http://www.apnaorg.com/columns/ahameed/column-27.html
    http://www.sacw.net/partition/june2004IshtiaqAhmed.pdf

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  • Observer
    Feb 4, 2012 - 9:19PM

    The question being asked today by many is who is to be blamed for the partition that divided the Muslims of the subcontinent who represented a unique identity within the Muslim world and the world at large. Thus weakening the united voice into two (later three) irreconcilable communities. Look at India, the ‘minorities’ vote bank is such a substantial part of the dynamics which has given Muslims and other minorities significant leverage and a stake in the system. Now imagine this…undivided India would have had over 650 million muslims today which would make it approx 30% of the population (currently indian muslims make up 18% of the population). Imagine how much of leverage that would have given the Muslim community as a whole. It would have been a ideal stage to celebrate and build on the unique identity of a sub continent Muslim with its unique culture. Time to think for all of us….the best way to weaken a force is to split it (I am not talking about hindu India…but the subcontinent Muslims). Time to think….Recommend

  • Aftab kenneth Wilson
    Feb 4, 2012 - 9:20PM

    CM of Punjab should think before he opens his mouth. All know that elections are forth coming so he wants to please these outfits who had no role in creating Pakistan but yes, now these same parties with multiple changed names are bent upon distortion the history. Our text books are already plagued with these distortions. Our country is already suffering from multiple illness due to these strategic assets which are backed by the mindsets of PML-N. Perhaps CM Punjab wants support of those banned parties which were seen recently advocating under the banner of “Difae e Pakistan”.

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  • Kareem Khan
    Feb 4, 2012 - 9:43PM

    Pfffft, What a joke ! Yeah that’s right, Maududi was our founding father and not Jinnah. Sure. Keep you’re fairy tales to yourself. Definitely not voting for PML-N in the future. Add this distortion of history to the fact that some pml-n leaders took part in a hate campaign against the ahmadi muslim community of Rawalpindi (which is still ongoing) !Recommend

  • Americano
    Feb 4, 2012 - 11:09PM

    Seriously this is your biggest problem. Keep the mullahs as far from politics and governing as you possibly can. Have you ever heard a western leader calling upon any religious leaders to provide a way forward? And please don’t tell me Pakistan is so much better as a society than the west. Your readers should know the truth of that.

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  • Amir
    Feb 5, 2012 - 12:42AM

    @Observer

    Agreed. The biggest beneficiaries of partition are Indian Hindus. They got unified under one massive country which has given them a huge opportunity to get back their lost glory. I’m an Indian Muslim but I’m happy for my Hindu brethren.

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  • Nasir
    Feb 5, 2012 - 3:43AM

    dear express tribune – why do you not post any of my comments – have i done something wrong?

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  • aka
    Feb 5, 2012 - 4:38AM

    i am pakistani hindu and iam happy w/my muslim friends .so w/bigdeal about it?

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  • MarkH
    Feb 5, 2012 - 5:55AM

    Religious leaders, regardless of the religion, are simply those who take advantage of people in the most impressionable area imaginable in regard to the human mind. People can never be confident that what they’re doing is right and they always want some form of reassurance that they are. The religious leader’s agenda is what will decide if they are or not. Not the God. It causes people to look in the wrong direction, though it’s made to look right. There should be nobody leading in a religious scenario. Just followers. None of them are born with any deeper understanding,of the text interpretations and as surprising as it may be, the beard doesn’t hold magical mind enhancing powers. One would be lead to believe a God wouldn’t make such a hierarchy when speaking to only the whole in the first place.

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  • Paki
    Feb 5, 2012 - 6:06AM

    Nonsense and lies, but then what does anyone expect from a Punjab Chief Minister who is going to go down in history as someone who allowed and did nothing to prevent the murder of Shias, Ahmadis and Christians during his misrule.

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  • Babloo
    Feb 5, 2012 - 6:47AM

    Thank You Mr Jinnah, Ahmedis and Aga Khanis for supporting partition. Hope you are having a great time.

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  • Tariq
    Feb 5, 2012 - 7:07AM

    He must be kidding, Jamaat Islami was against Pakistan

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  • Mard-e-Haq
    Feb 5, 2012 - 8:33AM

    Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah and ulema don’t mix. One created Pakistan and the other keeps destroying it. As rightly pointed out by commentators here, they were the ones who called him “Kafir-e-Azam.”

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  • Mard-e-Haq
    Feb 5, 2012 - 8:34AM

    Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah and ulema don’t mix. One created Pakistan and the other keeps destroying it. As rightly pointed out by commentators here, they were the ones who called him “Kafir-e-Azam.”Recommend

  • Noble Tufail
    Feb 5, 2012 - 11:51AM

    Yes Quaid did mention about some “useless coins” in his pocket!

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  • Truth Seeker
    Feb 5, 2012 - 1:24PM

    @Talha

    The Jamaat-e-Islami, Majlis-e-Ahrar (precursor to Khatme-Nabuwat) and the Deobandi Ulema in general opposed Pakistan. The only Deobandi to support Pakistan was Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani who was a mid level figure in the Deobandi leadership circle. The only two religious groups to give their full support to Pakistan were Ahmadi’s and Aga Khani’s. Both groups had a number of people in the Muslim League and their leaders had presided as Presidents of All India Muslim League. Many of the Ulema’s were with the Congress while the Muslim League was a party of progressive Muslims and those who hailed from minority sects.

    So Ulema’s role in creating Pakistan wasn’t huge, but it is sure is in destruction of it.

    Couldn’t be said better.

    Recommend

  • Truth Seeker
    Feb 5, 2012 - 1:50PM

    @MarkH:

    Religious leaders, regardless of the religion, are simply those who take advantage of people in the most impressionable area imaginable in regard to the human mind. People can never be confident that what they’re doing is right and they always want some form of reassurance that they are. The religious leader’s agenda is what will decide if they are or not. Not the God. It causes people to look in the wrong direction, though it’s made to look right. There should be nobody leading in a religious scenario. Just followers. None of them are born with any deeper understanding,of the text interpretations and as surprising as it may be, the beard doesn’t hold magical mind enhancing powers. One would be lead to believe a God wouldn’t make such a hierarchy when speaking to only the whole in the first place.

    Beautifully said. This is perhaps the only time when I agree with you 200%

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  • Sadia
    Feb 6, 2012 - 8:08AM

    Somebody please hand Shabaz Shareef a good history book.Recommend

  • Feb 26, 2012 - 10:53AM

    @Mj:
    Ulmas did it cuz they were not of the view of Quaid’s notions. Quaid always looked for a Separate nation.

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  • mind control
    Feb 26, 2012 - 11:17AM

    History of Pakistan-

    Version 1.0- Released in 1947—Allama Iqbal,Qaed-e-Azam Jinnah, Huseyn Suhravardy, Zafarrullah Khan, Liaqat Ali, Bibi Fatima Jinnah and countless others together created Pakistan.

    Version 2- Released in Zia Era- Bin Qasim and Mahmud Ghaznavi made Pakistan.

    Version 3- Released 2012- Ullama-e-Ikram sired Pakistan.

    Version 4- Likely dater of release 2013- The Khan and Taliban created Pakistan.

    Its an evolving (hi) story.

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  • Lone Star
    Feb 26, 2012 - 11:42AM

    I can read between the lines….what he’s sayin all “that Pakistan came into being because of the opposition of the Ulama-e-soo”

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