Joint appeal: Noted scholars call for truce ahead of talks
The meeting asserted that the bloodshed should stop now at any cost.
The meeting asserted that the bloodshed should stop now at any cost. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
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.
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.