Daily Times

LAHORE: Representatives of the four religious schools of thought and religious sects have unanimously forbidden ‘suicide blasts’, saying that according to the teachings of Quran-o-Sunnah all those elements involved in the attacks are enemies of humanity, Muslims and Islam.

Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi addressed a press conference at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday along with office-bearers of the Pakistan Ulema Council and representatives of different religious sects.

Ashrafi vowed that a countrywide campaign would be launched for annihilation of terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence adding that leadership of different religious sects and schools of thought vehemently condemned suicide blasts in Lahore, Peshawar and Sehwan Sharif. He also announced that under the aegis of the Pakistan Ulema Council, ‘Stability of Pakistan Conference’ will be held on Wednesday, February 22, in Islamabad, while ‘Second World Islamic Conference’ will also be held on April 12, 2017 in Islamabad, that will be attended by Imam-e-Kaaba and other notable religious scholars of Muslim world.

Notable representatives of different religious sects and office bearers of Pakistan Ulema Council including Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, Maulana Muhammad Ayub Safdar, Maulana Shafi Qasmi,Maulana Anwar-ul-Haq Mujahid, Maulana Abdul Qayyum, Maulana Mushtaq Lahori, Maulana Abu Bakar Hamza, MaulanaTahir Aqeel, Maulana Mumtaz Rabbani, Maulana Abdul Majeed Patafi, Haji Tayyab Qadri, Maulana Abdul Hakeem Athar, Maulana Umar Usmani, Maulana Saad Ullah Ludhyanvi, Maulana Saad Ullah Shafiq, Sufi Rizwan Tabbasum,Maulana Ahsan Husseni, and other notable Ulemas also addressed the conference at Lahore Press Club.

The Ulemas, clerics and religious scholars addressing the conference demanded of Government of Pakistan to ensure implementation in letter and spirit on ‘National Action Plan’ for eradication of terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence from the country. Enough is enough and government should stop reconciliation policy with Afghan and Indian governments, added representatives of different religious sects. They also urged on government of Pakistan to focus attention for reforms in judicial system of the country and issue notification for restoration of ‘military courts’. The religious leadership also stated that all the sections of society should come forward jointly for eradication of extremism and sectarian violence adding that Pakistan laid enormous sacrifices for peace in Afghanistan and since 35 years, Pakistan has been in a state of war but Afghan leadership and Afghan secret agencies are carrying out nefarious designs against Pakistan and has been sponsoring terrorists to make terrorism inside Pakistan.