President of 'Jaamiyah Darul Uloom' Karachi Mufti Mohammad Rafi Usmani. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: Several prominent religious scholars and clerics on Saturday responded to the drone strike against Hakimullah Mehsud, urging cessation of all kinds of cooperation with the United States, Express News reported.
The ulema demanded a shutdown of NATO supplies to Afghanistan as well as the destruction of any US drone that flies into Pakistani airspace hereon.
President of 'Wafaq-ul-Madaris Al-Arabia' Maulana Saleemullah Khan; President and Vice President of 'Jaamiyah Darul Uloom' Karachi Mufti Mohammad Rafi Usmani and Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani; 'Jaamiyat-ul-Uloom Al-Islamiya' Binori Town Maulana Dr Abdul Razzaq Sikandar; Maulana Qari Mohammad Hafeez Jalandhari and other religious scholars agreed that the Pakistani state should quit wasting breath on verbal protests and exclamations and resort to practical measures like shutting down the NATO supplies.
They said drones were the worst enemies of Pakistan and had been violating the nation's sovereignty for several years now.
The scholars also said that the US wanted Pakistan to stay war-ravaged at all times, and deliberately carried out Friday's attack to sabotage peace talks.
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan also passed a resolution on Saturday condemning the drone strikes.
COMMENTS (47)
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The best way to judge what is right for Pakistan is to do exactly opposite what these mullahs say.
Don't remeber these cowards and traitors calling for shooting down the TTP when they where happily going around murdering 40,000 Pakistanis
One drone (attack) at the venue of these medieval mindset's meeting too, PLEASE! Pakistan's malaise would never cease so long as these half educated destructive minds get prominence. As a society and nation we can not do that hence a drone's service is requisitioned.
The only country I can think of where the judges, interior minister, IK needless to say, and now ulema too are meddling in the country's foreign policy - all with views as extreme as the TTP itself. Whilst the PM is busy with his travels, the foreign ministry has no minister for its day´to-day running,or the defense ministry either. What a holy mess........
I'm surprised my comment didn't get posted, ET. Which part did the mods take issue with...the fact I called these pro-Taliban religious-political rightwingers as hypocrites/munafiqs, or the actual criminal extremist Taliban terrorists as the modern day khwarijites?
Ulemas also called Quaid-e-Azam as kafir...offer them dollars and some U.S.A. viza,they will change their stand
@numbersnumbers: The mess is also created by US and the slaughtering of Pakistanis had been due to support provided by Pakistan Govt and agencies to US including drones. Had this not been the case, the situation could have been entirely different.
@Noman: - "great Ulmas and great names of Pakistan demanding Peace in Pakistan. Its time give them the respect they deserve" - the same ulemas and so called great names who did not even condemn the TTP and the likes on slaughtering 40000 innocent Pakistani civilians. so it signifies that they endorse these killings by keeping themselves mute. they deserve the highest bashing (and not the respect) . To earn respect right actions are required.
@Noman.: You are more than welcome. But your target for enlightening education should be these Mullah's and their supporters, not me. LOL.
@sab sach heh: - "USA is acting like a Terrorist and these drones strikes ARE killing innocents", yes, yeh sach hai I fully agree with you that drones are killing innocents like Hakimullah Mehsud . Sir, Pakistan did not raise any objection when USA declared a bounty of millions USD on the head of innocent Hakimullah Mehsud. This itself is sufficient reason for innocent members of TTP to withdraw their acceptance to talk( with govt.) and adopt their old stand. janab yeh sach hai - your opinion please ?
What a bunch of hypocrites , the Taliban kill thousands of innocents , kidnap others and all the mullahs say nothing. The Americans kill the Taliban murderers and suddenly they discover their voice. We should thank the Americans for getting rid of our rubbish. We want them out of Afghanistan but we will block their route out as usual more moronic talk from Imran khan and the mullah brigade .
When will Pakistani ulema talk some sanity???
So these hypocrites are now going to make Pakistan's foreign policy
Dear Maulanas, have you ever had courage to speak against terrorism? Drones must be doing a good job so all of you are in great pain.
We are watching waiting for Pakistan to dare to shoot down a drone.
Nothing surprises me more than Pakistani attitude. So much anger over death of a merciless killer who has killed innocent Pakistanis. Is this politics??
Two wrongs don't make a right!!!!
No one can stop Pakistanis for feeling hurt when terrorists get killed. Time and again they prove that they have no ability for logical thinking.
@Kamal: It is ignorant and pathetic people like you that makes me come back to Pakistan & educate.
I seriously doubt the capability of Pakistani security establishment to challenge any air space violation whatsoever, be it drones, jets, choppers, whatever. Raids can as deep as Abbotabad can take place, Indian jets as far as Islamabad can fly in and give a sonic boom.
Block NATO supplies then what ? Mullahs are naïve about international relations, U.S is mending ties with Iran and if U.S started to use Afghan ,Iran route for NATO supplies, what else will Pakistan do ? Only option for Pakistan is to shut down all terror activities ,stop shedding tears for heartless terrorists. Whole world is mending ties with each others , India, China is good example. Don't get Pakistan so isolated in the world that tomorrow whole world would start thinking about dismantling of nuclear assets of Pakistan. It's enough of bloodshed for poor common people of Pakistan , think about some development of those people.
Pakistan is in such awful position where She can neither fight with Taliban for long time nor can negotiate with them freely. If there is fight there is blood and if there is talks there is blood again because of drones attacks like this.Why USA is not using drones on Afghan Taliban? Only because US wants to talk to them to save the skin of US army And if Pakistan wants to talk to Pakistani Taliban to give peace a chance, there efforts are sabotaged by drones attacks only to spread more terror and more instability in the region. Keeping such attacks will keep the armed industry of US never shut down and moreover there is no US army in Pakistan to face the reaction. That is called killing two birds with one stone.
Yes cowards, go ahead and shut off the supply line if you can. You illiterates have no idea how mighty the US is.
These abetters of murder and mayhem should be locked up in a dark dingy cell, safe from drones or any news about them, and be given rigorous physical exercise and labor to get the electrons in their messed up heads aligned towards decency and common sense! Thank you USA for killing a mass murderer of innocent women and children.
@sab sach heh: Yes innocents like Haqqani, his number 2. - people like that. Your own defense ministry has said that over 2200 terrorists or terrorist supporters have been killed by drones while 67 innocent civilians have been killed. Also which do you think kills more innocent civilians - pinpointed drones or tha blind bombing done by PAF?
Who do you think gives local intelligence to the Americans for the drone targets?
@unbelievable: The US did apologize and a lot more could have been wrung from them if we kept up the pressure. But they knew we would relent eventually so it wasn't an effective move. A firm blockade of supplies plus air patrols that prevent incursions into Pakistani airspace would drive home the point.
Wow : I didnt know that TTP has so much support from the religious clergy. I always thought that they had govt support. Is TTP a proxy for the govt against Pak army, Is TTP a RAW agent, Is TTP an ally of Afghan taliban. Does TTP exist at all. Does any one in Pakistan have any answer ?
Pakistan should shut the supplies and mouths of these Mullas or others will do it.
None of these so called ulema came out to condemn drone strikes that killed innocent civilians, but now since the apple of their eye is dead they want an end to this 'American war'. Shame on all of them!!
I support more drone strikes.
The Ulema offered prayers when Bin Laden was killed, now they want to bring our economy to a grinding halt by starting an standoff with America. Whose side are these people on?
then where will Pakistan get money from?
Do these Ulema care about the consequences? No, but why should they care? They live on donations, get free boarding and lodging and above all free...and lots of it..you know what I mean..
Hundreds of thousands in Pakistan have died at the hands of the organizations like Taliban but the so called 'Islamic scholars' continue to side with the fundamentalists. Tragic. As they say, History repeats itself endlessly for those who are unwilling to learn from the past.
Where are the funeral prayers for the dead terrorists? That's about the only thing missing in the religious establishment's embrace of TTP and its murderous ideology.
Mullahs are the reason pakistan is in this mess so more drones please.
Show them that beggars can't be choosers.
"They said drones were the worst enemies of Pakistan" These so called Ulema are the worst enemies of Pakistan.They advocate an ideology of hate and murder,thereby smearing the message of True Islam.These people need to be put in their place,if Pakistan is to survive.
AGENTS of TALIBAN TALKING! Where were they when Taliban was killing hundreds of Pakistanis???
THANK YOU USA FOR KILLING THIS BUTCHER!
All the great Ulmas and great names of Pakistan demanding Peace in Pakistan. Its time give them the respect they deserve and Block NATO supplies.
Are they kidding? Pakistan Ulema council mention TTP's suicidal attempts are HARRAM...why they never say to shoot down TTP leaders.
Hypocrites
What a bunch of delusional jokers. Try and even touch a drone. Sargodha or Peshawer Airbase will cease to exist. Just remember there is no option but to toe the line, whatever it may be, of the only Superpower the world has seen. They destroyed two great and proud nations - Japan and Germany, and you want to tangle with them. LOL.
Some idiots have never learnt that killing of innocent people by terrorists is not only killing of humanity but destroying your own religion and country even then they will support terrorist and condemn our military and fighters of terrorism. Don't condone military to involve in civilian governess but it is our duty to support where ever they are becoming weaker and weaker. As a matter of fact drones do support our troops and our nation logistically or materially, thank you USA.
They are right on money on this point, but y these scholars dont condemn TTP when they were on a killing spree, they killed 40,000 pakistanis for god sake, they dont even bother to condemn the attacks, but go wild on drones (which are also wrong actually), These people should never be taken seriously.
Pakistani state should quit wasting breath on verbal protests and exclamations and resort to practical measures like shutting down the NATO supplies.
Maybe one of these "scholars" can explain what "practical" benefit Pakistan achieved the last time they shut down NATO supply route? As I recall the chest thumpers celebrated for a couple of weeks and then it became clear that the USA wasn't going to stop drones, apologize or submit to extortion. What the USA did was cut off aid, military supplies and international support. In the end Pakistan image took a major drubbing and suddenly there were Editorials about how Pakistan should make strategic decisions rather than emotional ones. . Starting a confrontation over killing someone associated with the death of 40,000 Pakistani's is outright stupid - not much different than Pakistan's stance over OBL which destroyed what was left of Pakistan's international image.
And let these butchers doing massacres Pakistani awam. When these terrorists slitting and slaughtering people no one condemn there heinous atrocities and now all of sudden the all state holder crying alligators - due to there own fear life as usual.
Very true the USA is acting like a Terrorist and these drones strikes ARE killing innocents, Quite evidently america believe's only americans lives are worth more than others, Hypocrisy at its best..
Wow, so "Drones were the worst enemies of Pakistan", BUT after all, our TTP "brothers" have ONLY slaughtered some 30,000 PLUS Pakistanis so let's not talk about them!!!