Sectarian violence: ‘CII must guide govt on enacting effective laws’
Pakistan Ulema Council chairman presents 15-point agenda to help curb sectarian divide.
Allama Tahir Ashrafi. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD:
Contending that terrorising people in the name of religion was against Islam, Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Allama Tahir Ashrafi on Sunday asked Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) to guide government towards legislation against sectarian violence.
“The CII is the only constitutional body which has representation of religious scholars from all schools of thought and its job is to guide the government in the light of Quran and Sunnah,” wrote Ashrafi in a letter addressed to the CII, of which he is also a member.
Requesting to call a meeting of the members, Allama Ashrafi presented a 15-point agenda to help the council formulate its recommendations for the parliament and the government for forming laws to curb sectarian divide and violence.
The agenda was broadly based on a code of conduct mutually drafted and agreed up by all religious parties and groups from the platform of Mili Yakjehti Council (MYC).
Ashrafi has suggested formation of a board within the CII which would take up any and all conflicts between different sects and resolve them through deliberations.
He also suggested imposing a blanket and inviolable ban on hate speech and any other published or electronic material that might hurt the feelings of any sect.
“The government should form a monitoring team to ensure practical implementation of the code of the conduct suggested by the CII,” he said, adding that followers of nay sect violating the code should be punished under the law.
The PUC chairman’s suggested agenda also put it on government to protect the worship places of minorities in Pakistan as it was the responsibility of the ruler in Islam.
Ashrafi said the government could further improve the existing laws against terrorism by acting upon the code of conduct so that action could be taken against those trying to use religion for inciting violence.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2013.
Contending that terrorising people in the name of religion was against Islam, Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Allama Tahir Ashrafi on Sunday asked Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) to guide government towards legislation against sectarian violence.
“The CII is the only constitutional body which has representation of religious scholars from all schools of thought and its job is to guide the government in the light of Quran and Sunnah,” wrote Ashrafi in a letter addressed to the CII, of which he is also a member.
Requesting to call a meeting of the members, Allama Ashrafi presented a 15-point agenda to help the council formulate its recommendations for the parliament and the government for forming laws to curb sectarian divide and violence.
The agenda was broadly based on a code of conduct mutually drafted and agreed up by all religious parties and groups from the platform of Mili Yakjehti Council (MYC).
Ashrafi has suggested formation of a board within the CII which would take up any and all conflicts between different sects and resolve them through deliberations.
He also suggested imposing a blanket and inviolable ban on hate speech and any other published or electronic material that might hurt the feelings of any sect.
“The government should form a monitoring team to ensure practical implementation of the code of the conduct suggested by the CII,” he said, adding that followers of nay sect violating the code should be punished under the law.
The PUC chairman’s suggested agenda also put it on government to protect the worship places of minorities in Pakistan as it was the responsibility of the ruler in Islam.
Ashrafi said the government could further improve the existing laws against terrorism by acting upon the code of conduct so that action could be taken against those trying to use religion for inciting violence.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2013.