No threat to minorities from Islamic teaching: PA speaker

LAHORE: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Religious Harmony and Chairman Muttahida Ulema Board, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Ashrafi, called on Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervez Elahi on Friday at his residence. Speaker Punjab Assembly said any step taken against the ideology and thought of Pakistan would be contrary to the foundation of the country. He said the act passed by the Punjab Assembly has the signatures of all political, religious parties and members of the minorities, so there was no threat to the minorities from Islamic teaching. This country was founded in the name of Islam and Islamic teachings could never be taken out of the curriculum of educational institutions.

Pervez Elahi and Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi agreed that the recommendations of a one-member minority commission to remove Islamic teachings and history from the curriculum were highly inappropriate, which could lead the country to chaos and complete disorder. Tahir Ashrafi said Islam is the protector of the rights of all the human beings, including the rights of the minorities and its teachings are based on peace and security, while protection of every citizen is the responsibility of the state and the Constitution of Pakistan. “If non-Muslim students do not want to study Islamic education and history, they have the option to study or not,” he said.