ISLAMABAD: The religious scholars and Ulema coming from different schools of thought at the ‘National Ulema and Mushaikh ‘ conference on Friday pledged support to the armed forces while praising the unified approach of the civil and the military leaderships driving the country to progress.
Speakers representing different sects praised the military leadership and emphasised the need for unity between political and military institution.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal also addressed the national Ulema and Mushaikh conference on the opening day on Wednesday.
Addressing the conference, Mufti Abdul Rahim, Rector of Jamiatur-Rasheed, said the political and military leadership were working together in a manner consistent with the Constitution and Islamic principles, arguing that the nation should be grateful for such cohesion.
He said that Almighty Allah has chosen the military leadership and Pakistan to eliminate Fitna Al Khawarij. He said that there are 42 Ahadees against Fitna Al Khwarij. He called upon scholars to confront extremist ideologies and warned that Khawarij in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan continued to threaten national security. He also urged clerics to caution Afghanistan over the killing of innocent Pakistanis “in the name of Islam”.
Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi of the Pakistan Ulema Council said while the army defends the country’s borders, scholars are responsible for safeguarding its ideological foundations. Ashrafi said that Fitna Alkhwarij and Fitna Al Hindustan were enjoying full support of India and Israel. He said that three million seminary students were ready to respond to the call of the Ulema and the armed forces, adding that Pakistan had recently secured a victory through “unity between the people and the military”.
Allama Shabbir Hassan Meesami of the Shia Ulema Council condemned propaganda against the armed forces who have been rendering sacrifices for defence of the country and to root out terrorism.
Allama Ziaullah Shah Bukhari of Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith credited what he termed a historic victory to the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. “We will not allow any so-called politician to speak against any soldier of Pakistan Army for the sake of his political interests”, he maintained.
Pir Hasan Haseebur Rehman reaffirmed that scholars stood with the army at every step for the protection of Islam and Pakistan, and suggested that incorporating the “Paigham-e-Pakistan” narrative into law could significantly aid counterterrorism efforts. “It is due to sacrifices of armed forces that now Pakistan’s passport is seen with respect”, he said.
