Scrutiny of mosques, seminaries under FATF agenda rejected

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami's Karachi chief, Engineer Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, hosted a meeting with various religious scholars and representatives of five boards of the seminaries at Idara Noor-e-Haq on Sunday to discuss the questionnaire distributed by the government on account of FATF conditions.

During the meeting, the panelists, who were representing various sects, not only expressed their grave concerns over the recent development but also warned the government of strong public outrage, if the decision to clamp down on religious seminaries was not withdrawn.

According to a declaration, the participants of the meeting unanimously rejected the FATF facilitation form and declared it illegal, unconstitutional and violation of the rights, religious freedom as well as the law.

They also threatened the authorities to use all legal means to protest against any attempt to violate their rights to religious freedom and sanctity of the mosques and seminaries. Meanwhile, the meeting also decided to consult legal experts to review the legal aspects of the questionnaire sent by the government.

Dr Saeed Askandar from Wifaq-ul-Madaris Al-Arabia, Maulana Rehan Naeemi from Tanzeem-ul-Madaris, Allama Yousuf Qasori from Wifaq-ul-Madaris Salfia, Syed Muhammad Taqi Naqvi from Wifaq-ul-Madaris Fiqa-e-Jafria, Maulana Abdul Waheed from Rabta Madaris-ul-Islamia, Allama Asghar Aljawadi, Muhammad Ibrahim Sakargahi, Maulana Ziaur Rehman Madni, Maulana Saifullah Rabbani, Maulana Azhar Ali Shah Hamdani, Allama Syed Farhan Shah Naeemi, Maulana Yameen Mansoori, Maulana Naseem Khan, Maulana Mufti Nazir Jan Naeemi, Maulana Habib Ahmed Hanafi, and JI leaders, including Birjis Ahmed, Muslim Pervez, Munim Zafar Khan, Younus Barai, Mufti Alam, Zahid Askari and others also attended the meeting.