“There was no decision about the conference date and it was decided that a date would be finalised at another meeting of clerics from both countries in Kabul on February 21,” says Ashrafi. PHOTO: INP
A huddle of Pakistani and Afghan clerics was virtually spoiled when a key participant walked away in a huff.
Allama Tahir Ashrafi, the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council, threatened on Monday that they would boycott an upcoming conference of Pakistani and Afghan religious scholars if the Afghan side did not honour the decisions of their meeting.
Monday’s meeting was convened to finalise date and agenda of the proposed conference scheduled for next month in the Afghan capital.
Appearing at a news conference with Afghan clerics after the meeting, Mufti Abu Hurriara Muhiuddin announced that the two sides agreed to hold the conference on March 10 in Kabul.
However, Allama Ashrafi strongly differed.
“There was no decision about the conference date and it was decided that a date would be finalised at another meeting of clerics from both countries in Kabul on February 21,” Ashrafi told reporters after the press conference.
“We took some decisions in today’s meeting but they later changed those decisions. If they keep on changing unanimous decisions then we will be forced to boycott the conference,” he said referring to Afghan religious scholars.
According to Allama Ashrafi, the meeting decided that the conference would not issue fatwas against anyone but the joint statement did not mention the word fatwa. “It seems that they are bent upon issuing a decree against the Taliban,” he claimed.
Allama Ashrafi said the meeting also decided to invite the Afghan Taliban to the conference – but that was also omitted from the joint statement. “We are willing to travel to Kabul for peace and stability but the Afghan Ulema want to use the conference for their personal gains,” he added.
Chairman of the Afghanistan Council of Religious Scholars Qayamuddin Kashaf, who led an eight-member delegation at Monday’s talks, was scheduled to appear at the joint press conference but his absence triggered a guessing game.
An hour-long delay was also due to differences, sources said.
“The Afghanistan and Pakistan Ulema Joint Conference will be held in Kabul in March 2013 with the participation of 500 Ulema, 250 from each country,” read the joint statement.
“The conference will be focused on peace and stability of all Islamic Ummah in addition to the situation of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The conference will not be in support or against anyone, any group but it will be in the light of Islamic principles.”
A member of the Afghan delegation, Attaullah Ludin, was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. “The Pakistan government should fulfill its commitments to the promotion of peace in Afghanistan,” Ludin told The Express Tribune.
Asked why top Pakistani politico-religious leaders stayed away from the meeting, he said, “It was preliminary talks and the next meeting will discuss details.”
The Karzai government has pinned high hopes on the proposed conference as it wants religious backing for a nascent peace process in his country, or at least a joint stance against suicide bombings.
The conference was previously scheduled to be held by end January but was rescheduled for February as the two countries were not prepared, according to the Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad, Umer Daudzai.
Afghan sources told The Express Tribune that the Afghan side has requested for meetings with JUI-F chief Maulna Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Syed Munawar Hasan and JUI-S head Maulana Samiul Haq.
Haq also stayed away from the conference and his secretary told The Express Tribune that he was busy in organisational matters in Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2013.
COMMENTS (11)
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@Zalmai: {Maulna Fazlur Rehman, Syed Munawar Hasan and Maulana Samiul Haq are stooges of the establishment}
I wanted them to give them benefit of doubt and assume they are indeed learned ULEMA. Your objection will come in force when Taliban try to put forward some similar plausible names claiming religious knowledge which we all know will never happen.
@Hasan Mehmood
Excellent analysis, however you neglected to add that Maulna Fazlur Rehman, Syed Munawar Hasan and Maulana Samiul Haq are stooges of the establishment and will never deviate from the discourse and agenda set by the establishment.
The Afghans are serious and united in their approach but Pakistan always engages in Machiavellian strategies that are essentially detrimental for the whole region. Pakistan always does the opposite of what it is supposed to do, qiam instead of sajda and vice versa.
We have so many prominent and respectable Ulema in Pakistan batting on behalf of Taliban but where are the original Ulema belonging to inner circle of Taliban since enforcement of Sharia is their prime objective. The other objective of expelling foreign invaders is transitory and will be fulfilled more or less in 2014. Mr Ashrafi wanted to invite Taliban but the proposed conference is for religious leaders on both sides of border and not the fighters. If TTP have someone like Maulna Fazlur Rehman, Syed Munawar Hasan , Maulana Samiul Haq or late Mufti Naeemi, Mufti Mahmood, Maulana Noorani etc in their ranks let them come forward. Whenever there is a remote possibility of having to condemn suicide attacks by Taliban unconditionally, our Ulema prefer not to join such conferences. That's abundantly clear if you read between the lines. If hundreds of Afghan Ulema are willing to condemn suicide attacks targeting civilians, what problem our Ulema have? No one for a second is condemning armed resistance against occupation forces. Its yet another instant exposing the true face of indirect / hidden Taliban supporters the other being nominated as guaranteers. When will we open our eyes?
Besides huff and puff what else can one expect.
If the LEARNED men of GOD with all their compassion cannot talk to each other, then we are all doomed!!!!!l
Ulema?? What a joke!!!
This conference needs a Drone!
"Ashrafi wants Taliban to be invited in the conference" , then who does he represent ?
Pashtoon and Punjabi - deobandi and brelvi , how can they agree? impossible.
It is better that the Pakistan Ulema Council speak on their own behalf rather than be a spokesman for the Taliban. Ulema meaning religious Council should not be seen siding with the same forces that have destabilized the region, otherwise the conclusion that Pakistan is totally Talibanized will stand confirmed.
"key participant walked away in a huff"
it must read "key participant rolled away in a huff".