‘Redline’: Over 1,000 religious scholars regret propaganda against Saudi leadership

A convention of more than 1,000 religious scholars and clerics from all over Pakistan on Sunday adopted a resolution, endorsing the stance of the government of Pakistan and the Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia over the US intelligence report regarding the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"Saudi Arabia has met the requirements of justice in the case of Saudi citizen Khashoggi. The peace, security and stability of Saudi Arabia are dear to every Muslim. Pakistan and the Muslim Ummah will not accept any step against the security, stability and defence of Saudi Arabia," the convention said, in a statement, which was presided over by Special Aide to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East and Central Chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi.

The convention — held at Al-Hamra Hall in Lahore — was of the opinion that the Islamic world loves Saudi Arabia and its leadership and regretted baseless propaganda against the Saudi leadership.

Addressing the convention, Ashrafi said that the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relationship is based on faith and for us, targeting Harmain Al-Sharifain and its leadership is a "red line".

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He said that all issues of religious seminaries relating to registration, bank accounts and others would be resolved before the new academic year.

Ashrafi claimed that the blasphemy law is not being misused in the country, assuring all the minorities that their rights will be protected as per the Constitution. "We want to make it clear to the world that the law of blasphemy is the protector of human lives," he added.

The PM's aide invited the opposition parties to work with the government to solve the problems of the people. "We invite the political and religious parties of the opposition to come together and play a role to transform the country on the pattern of the state of Medina."

He said that the premier, by resolving the issue of Muslim community in Sri Lanka, has made the Pakistani nation proud in the Islamic world.

An edict was also presented at the convention from Darul Afta Pakistan regarding the coronavirus vaccine, which said that it is legal to administer the vaccine. "No baseless propaganda should be made regarding the coronavirus vaccine."

The clerics, while addressing the convention, stated that the success of Operation Radul Fasad is an explicit testimony of the struggle of the nation and Pakistan's security forces against terrorism, adding that National Action Plan (NAP) should be fully implemented in letter and spirit.

They said that the security, stability and sovereignty of Saudi Arabia are very dear to the Muslim Ummah, adding that Pakistan is against foreign interference in all “Islamic Arab countries”.

They said that the kingdom has ensured all the legal requirements of justice on the issue of Khashoggi.

The clerics said that the rights of minorities living in Pakistan will be protected at all levels. "Forced conversions and forceful marriages have nothing to do with Islam and those who do so bring Islam and Muslims into disrepute."

The convention announced that from March 1 to March 30, the country-wide stability Pakistan conventions, conferences and congregations will be held on the theme of "One Nation One Destiny" with respective topics of peace, brotherhood and moderation.

A resolution adopted during the convention called for an immediate meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the growing problems of the Muslim Ummah.

Another resolution welcomed the decision to call a ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) as a result of talks between the military leadership of Pakistan and India.

Expressing full solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people, another resolution said that Kashmir and Palestine are the most important issues of the Muslim Ummah.

"The United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the world must play an effective and immediate role in resolving the Kashmir and Palestine issues."

The convention was attended by more than 1,000 leading religious scholars and clerics from across the country.

Among key note clerics and religious scholars who addressed the convention include Maulana Asad Zakaria, Allama Abdul Haq Mujahid, Qazi Matiullah Saeedi, Maulana Asadullah Farooq, Maulana Haq Nawaz Khalid, Maulana Obaidullah Gormani, Allama Tahir-ul-Hassan, Maulana Muhammad were present on the occasion. Shafi Qasmi, Maulana Hanif Usmani, Pir Asad Habib Shah Jamali, Maulana Muhammad Asghar Khosa, Maulana Noman Hashir, Maulana Tahir Aqeel Awan, Maulana Abu Bakar Sabri, Maulana Anwar-ul-Haq Mujahid, Shabbir Yusuf Gujjar, Maulana Abdul Malik Asif, Maulana Aslam Siddiqui, Maulana Aseed-ur-Rehman Saeed, Maulana Abdul Hakim Athar, Qari Zubair Zahid, Maulana Islamuddin, Qari Muhammad Aslam Qadri, Qari Shams-ul-Haq, Maulana Hassan Ahmad Hussaini, Maulana Muhammad Khurshid Nomani, Maulana Fahimul Hassan Farooqi, Maulana Abdullah Haqqani, Maulana Abdullah Rashidi, Mian Rashid Munir, Maulana Asim Shad, Maulana Abdul Waheed Farooqi, Maulana Abu Bakar Hamza, Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Abid, Maulana Obaidullah Gormani, Maulana Izhar-ul-Haq Khalid, Sahibzada Hamza Tahir-ul-Hassan, Maulana Saadullah Ludhianvi, Maulana Anis-ur-Rehman Baloch, Maulana Abdul Al-Rashid, Maulana Muhammad Shakeel Qasmi, Mufti Mohammad Omar Farooq, Maulana Abdul Ghaffar Shah Hijazi, Maulana Tanveer Ahmed, Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Maki, Maulana Mohammad Ashfaq Potafi, Maulana Kaleemullah Muawiyah, Maulana Aziz-ur-Rehman Muawiyah, Maulana Aziz Akbar Qasmi, Maulana Saadullah Shafiq, Hafiz Mohammad Tayyab Qasmi, Maulana Hussain Ahmad Darkhasti, Mufti Iqbal Usmani, Maulana Yasir Alvi, Qari Abdul Rauf, Maulana Matool Mahar, Hafiz Muhammad Talha Farooqi, Maulana Zubair Khatana, Maulana Aqeel Zubair, Qari Aziz-ur-Rehman, Maulana Atif Iqbal and others.