PUC advises against unauthorised use of loudspeakers

Islamabad
The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) has appealed to the prayer leaders of more than 73 mosques affiliated with the ‘Federation of Mosques’ and other leaders and sermon deliverers not use the loudspeakers installed in the mosques for any purpose other than the call for prayer (Azaan), the delivery of Arabic sermon and for those events/functions for which an official permission has already been sought from the administration for using loudspeakers.
PUC Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, who has been striving to bridge the gap between the followers of different faiths and sects in the country, wrote a letter on Sunday to all the administrators and prayer leaders of the mosques affiliated with ‘Federation of Mosques of Pakistan’.
“All of us have already agreed to this arrangement in a code of conduct which was devised by a committee of the PUC and Milli Yehjehti Council (National Solidarity Council) headed by Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani and which was agreed upon by all the Ulema and leaders of all schools of thoughts that a complete ban will be imposed on the illegal and unauthorised use of loudspeakers in the mosques,” Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi said while talking to ‘The News’.
He said that amidst prevailing conditions in the country it is even more important to follow this code of conduct very strictly.
“I have appealed to all the Ulema, ‘Khutaba’ (sermon deliverers), and leaders of all sects and religions to follow the ‘Code of Conduct’ regarding use of loudspeakers. At the same time I also appeal to the government not to take any steps towards prayer leaders and sermon deliverers that may amount to any type of harassment of may appear to be a suppressive act,” Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi said.
He expressed confidence that the Prime Minister, the Federal Interior Minister, the Chief Minister of the Punjab and the Governor of the Sindh will also keep their promise as they have assured that no illegal step will be taken or a move will be initiated against mosques and the seminaries.
He said that in his letter he has also appealed to the prayer leaders and sermon deliverers of these more than 73,000 mosques all over Pakistan to play a positive role for creating interfaith and sectarian harmony and root out religious intolerance and sectarian hatred from the society.
“We have already established a ‘Complaint Cell’ in the PUC Headquarter in Lahore under the governance of Sahibzada Zahid Mehmood Qasmi, the Central Secretary General of the PUC. This cell will instantly respond to any complaint not only if a prayer leader or a sermon deliverer of any mosque all over Pakistan was harassed or intimidated but will be more vigilant to react if any complaint regarding the violation of the ‘Code of Conduct’ was reported from any corner of the country,” the PUC Chairman said.
He said that in a meeting with the representatives of the delegation of ‘Tahafaz-e-Madaras-e-Deniya’ (Defence of Religious Seminaries) he informed them that there was no need to get alarmed in wake of passage of the 21stAmendment in the Constitution.