Hung out to dry: JUI-F decries bill on seminaries, mosque

Gul Naseeb criticises the bill on the security of seminaries and mosques proposed by PTI government.

SWABI:

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ameer Maulana Gul Naseeb has strongly criticised the bill on the security of seminaries and mosques proposed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He warned his party will protest if the provincial government enacts the bill.

Speaking at a meeting of the district executive council in Swabi on Sunday, Naseeb voiced his objections against the bill. He said PTI planned to table the bill in the K-P Assembly. According to the bill, seminaries and mosques will have to bear the responsibility of ensuring their own security.

The JUI-F leader said that administrators of seminaries or prayer leaders of mosques will be held accountable if any untoward incident arises in their respective religious institutes. According to Naseeb,the government plans to use this law to target religious institutions at the behest of ‘world forces’.

Naseeb insisted that it is the state’s responsibility to provide security to all citizens and institutions in the country. However, the PTI government wants to pass the buck to the individuals, he said.

“Allowing this bill to become law will be a major mistake on the part of the government,”the JUI-F leader said. He added that all chapters of JUI-F will vehemently oppose the bill and take to the streets to voice their discontent.

According to Naseeb, a committee of religious and political parties which was constituted to discuss the bill has also rejected it.

During the meeting, the JUI-F leader said his party will participate in the upcoming expected local government polls and develop strong alliances with other likeminded political parties. Naseeb also lauded the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to ratify 19 agreements with China. He said both Pakistan and China have always enjoyed good relations.

The meeting was chaired by the JUI-F Swabi Ameer Maulana Attaul Haq Darwish. Various members of the district executive council were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2014.