G-B assembly decides to punish all using religion to spread hatred

Chief Minister Mehdi Shah and Governor Pir Karam Ali would be the beneficiaries of the scheme.

GILGIT:

The selection committee of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) legislative assembly on law and order decided on Saturday to introduce legislation to punish those using religious platforms to spread hatred in society, sources privy to the development said.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the selection committee chaired by opposition leader Bashir Ahmed.

“The issue regarding the use of religious platforms for spreading hatred is serious and the assembly will legislate on it,” said an official aware of the developments.

He said the meeting also discussed the biases of police officials in conducting investigations in cases where sectarian crimes were involved.

“The meeting was informed about the grievances expressed by clerics regarding innocent people who have been put behind bars under false cases,” he said. The official said the meeting also decided that various agreements that were inked since 1975 to 2006 between rival sects in Gilgit should go through the legislators so a comprehensive strategy could be devised to ensure such pacts are not violated.

The formation of the Islamic Ideology Council and Ulema Board was also discussed for ensuring peace in the region that has seen bloodshed on many occasions in the past.

The option of holding dialogue with clerics was also discussed and approved in the meeting, the requirement for which was necessitated following the murder of PPP stalwart Mir Nawaz last week in Gilgit. The murder has heightened sectarianism in the region.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2011.