Violence over blasphemy allegations against Islam: CII

ISLAMABAD:

The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Wednesday declared that violence against a person on allegations of blasphemy was contrary to Shariah, constitution and humanity.

The council suggested constitution of a national commission that would forward recommendations to prevent such incidents.

Addressing a news conference after chairing the CII session, Dr Qibla Ayaz condemned the incidents of taking law into own hands in the wake of blasphemy.

Reading out a statement, issued after the meeting, Dr Ayaz said culprits involved in Sialkot and Khanewal incidents should be brought to justice at the earliest, saying it would help build confidence of the people on law enforcement agencies and judicial system.

He said the major factor behind such incidents was delay in the dispensation of justice, adding that courts should expedite the judicial process against blasphemy’s real culprits and those who take law into their own hands.

Read: After four years, blasphemy accused gets bail

He asked the Ulema and Mashaikh to display with translation hidth and verses from Holy Quran pertaining to humanity and protection of lives and properties in mosques, imambargahs, khanqahs and seminaries.

Dr Qibla also proposed the media to telecast such programmes that would bring reforms in the social, political and religious spectrum of life of the people.

He appreciated the inclusion of Paigham-e-Pakista – a decree against terrorism — in parliament's agenda and said the provincial assemblies should follow suit.

He proposed the government to constitute a national commission comprising experts of sociology, psychology, law and religion in a bid to devise short term and long term policies to prevent and end incidents involving violence over blasphemy allegations.

The meeting was attended by CII members Allama Muhammad Hussain Akbar, Pir Syed Ziaullah Bukhari, Pir Habib Arfani, Mufti Muhammad Zubair, Dr Umair Mehmood Siddiqui, Pirzada Junaid Ameen, Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqani, Maulana Naseem Ali Shah, Dr Pir Abbul Hassan Muhammad Shah and Sahibzada Muhammad Hassan Haseebur Rehman besides Ulema and Mashaikh from various schools of thought including Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, Allama Ali Raza Bukhari, Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi, Allama Syed Iftikhar, Hussain Naqvi, Maulana Syed Cheeragh Din Shah, Maulana Muhammad Tayyab Tahiri and Senator Prefessor Sajid Mir.