The meeting asserted that the bloodshed should stop now at any cost. PHOTO: AFP
More than a dozen influential religious scholars have called for an urgent ceasefire between the government and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as they threw their weight behind the proposed dialogue between the two sides.
The meeting held on Sunday at Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi - an internationally acclaimed seminary - appealed for an immediate ceasefire from both sides to ensure that the dialogues reach logical conclusion.
Some 15 prominent scholars from across the country including Mufti-e-Azam Pakistan Muhammad Rafi Usmani, Maulana Dr Abdul Razzaq Iskander, Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani were present in the meeting.
“If both (Taliban and government) would move forward with sincerity to resolve the issues through dialogue, it would be viewed as a major positive stride for peace in the war-torn Islamic republic,” said Maulana Saleemullah Khan, president of the Wifaqul Madaris al-Arabia Pakistan – the federation of Islamic seminaries run by the Deobandi school.
“Nevertheless, it is imperative to make a peaceful atmosphere for the talks through ceasefire. It [ceasefire] should follow the dialogue process.”
The meeting asserted that the bloodshed should stop now at any cost. Not only the innocents were being killed, their families have been destroyed too.
For a serious and realistic dialogue in favour of the country and the nation, both sides should immediately discontinue all sorts of armed attacks, bloodshed and terrorism, they said.
The scholars, however, warned the parties involved to keep vigilant as they believed that the enemies of peace will attempt to sabotage the dialogue process once again through their divide and rule policy.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2014.
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@Zalmai:
It is not the fault of the so called Islamic scholars, that most of the 180 million Pakistanis have not taken religion lessons in their schooling. It is a shameful performance of any Nation in the world with majority believers.
Rex Minor
the only party that want peace is people of Pakistan.neither TTP nor military or civil establishment wants peace bz its all game of money. stop coalition support fund this problem will be solved
This a ploy by the warmly backed TTP for regrouping against Pakistan. You all will see it and even those clerics who call them "shaheed".
The problem is Talibans would always have an upper hand in negotiations. They shall get their piece of land where they could practice their male chauvinistic version of sharia and shall keep on terrorising minorities nearby and nationwide citing they have no control over independent factions of TTP.
The longer this inertia carries on the more beneficial will it be for all the players including army. If people of Pakistan weren't so bound by their confusion and sympathy for Talibans, the big institutions would have felt the pressure. As it stands any major action is going to cost votes to the government and money to the army. Taliban offensive provides a bargaining chip to army over defence budget.
This is a classic example of 'voice of the people being the voice of the God'.
Wake up Pakistanis!
et please correct yourself its not noted scholars its actually deobandi scholars
Noted scholars either know nothing about politics of war or are moving to preserve their turf
Negotiation only prove worthy when there is an give and take process is achieved. Militants surely need to halt their activity and later on become a law abiding citizen where as Government is the one had to think as to how much are going to give up. Halting or stopping military actions, release of prisoners, damage property, IDP's and assurance that this will never happens again. Also the policy of US slavery like situation is also need to change. Government need to assure through their actions that they are the in charge of their affairs.
Too many Islamic scholars not enough social scientists is the problem. Civil society and the chaterring class need to articulate their views as well.