Ulema body praises LEAs for peaceful Ashura

The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) on Monday praised the efforts of the religious scholars as well as the law-enforcement agencies and the Pakistan armed forces for maintaining peace during the Ashura-e-Muharam.

Addressing a press conference at the Islamabad Press Club, PUC Central Chairman Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi backed the government action taken in Karachi, Islamabad and some other places against the violations of the code of conduct for the Muharramul Haram.

Several leaders of the PUC, including Pir Naqibur Rehman, Maulana Ziaullah Bukhari, Allama Arif Wahidi, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil, Pir Hassan Naqibur Rehman, Maulana Asad Zakaria Qasmi, Maulana Noman Hashir, Maulana Qasim Qasmi, Allama Ghulam Akbar Saqi, Maulana Abu Bakar Sabri, Maulana Tahir Aqeel Awan, Allama Tahirul Hassan, Maulana Mufti Hafeezur Rehman, Allama Zubair Abid, Maulana Asadullah Farooq, attended the press conference.

“Immediate action by the government on violations of the code of conduct in Karachi, Islamabad and some other places is a step in the right direction,” Ashrafi said. “We call for the immediate arrest of all those responsible for spreading extremism and sectarian violence,” he added.

The PUC leaders said that they would appeal to all the scholars of all sects to adhere to the principle of “follow your sect and do not touch the other’s sect”. They added that Pakistan was for all schools of thought.

On the occasion, the Ulema demanded legislation in the light of the joint code of conduct prepared by the Milli Yakjehti (national solidarity) Council and the Muttahida (united) Ulema Board. They urged the Ulema of all sects to dissociate themselves from those fanning troubles.

The leaders said that the enemy wanted to create clash between the people of different schools of thought during Muharram but this conspiracy had failed due to the cooperation of the Ulema and Mashaikhs, security agencies and the government.

“But we have to be more vigilant,” said Ashrafi. “We demand that the government take immediate action against those who hurled insults at other sects,” he added. Ashrafi also announced that public gatherings would be held to promote interfaith harmony.

The Ulema strongly condemned the recent anti-Islam act in Sweden, saying that such a sacrilegious act would severely affect the interfaith harmony and dialogue. The United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Swedish government should take immediate action, they added.