Convention: Mashaikh Council demands 100 per cent increase in minimum wage

Calls for protest against burning of Holy Quran, urges sufis to participate in general elections.

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Mashaikh Council on Tuesday demanded the government that the minimum wage be raised by 100 per cent. The demand came during the International Mashaikh-o-Ameer-i-Millat Convention held at the Aiwan-i-Iqbal.

Speakers at the convention, presided over by Pir Sayed Munawwar Hussain Shah Jamati, the Council chairman and Amir-i-Millat Foundation president, adopted resolutions demanding that US forces leave Afghanistan and a permanent ban on NATO supplies through Pakistan.

Condemning the increase in Hajj fares, the speakers demanded a 50 per cent subsidy similar to that provided by the Indian government. They also demanded that the government take strict action against organisations banned for militant or terrorist activities or for spreading haltered which they said were now functioning under new names.

Jamati also announced plans for a similar convention in London in June this year.

Desecration of Holy Quran

Jamati announced to hold countrywide protest rallies on May 4 against Terry Jones for desecrating the Holy Quran. He demanded the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) take action against Jones. He also demanded the government take up the matter of burning of the Holy Quran at the OIC platform.

Jamati also announced to start an Azm-i-Pakistan Movement to mobilise the custodians of sufi shrines to participate in the next general elections.

He said that the politicians had failed to run the country and so it was time for mashaikh to come forward and “save the country.” He set up a five-member committee and directed it to submit its proposals in 10 days for the strategy to participate in the elections.

They also demanded that a postal stamp be issued to recognise Pir Sayed Jamaat Ali Shah, for his contribution to the Pakistan Movement, and that an important road in Lahore be renamed after him.

Against Ahmadis

Several speakers made speeches against Ahmadis accusing them of “hatching conspiracies” against the country.

Pir Sayed Khurshid Shah alleged that members of the Ahmadi community were being appointed in security institutions of the country.

Pir Attiqur Rehman, the Azad Kashmir minister for auqaf, also addressed the convention. He accused the media of being funded from foreign countries and promoting of obscenity.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2012.