No directive given to confiscate book having Malala pic: Ashrafi

LAHORE: Advisor to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Muttahida Ulema Board (MUB) Chairman Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has clarified that neither the MUB nor the Punjab Textbook Board issued any directive regarding confiscation of the book containing the picture of Malala Yousafzai among national heroes.

The said book was published without NOC where even the holy Quran can’t be published without it, he said while addressing a press conference on Thursday at the Seerat Academy.

He said nobody could be allowed to attack values of the nation, emphasizing that uniform curriculum and national ideology will not be compromised at any cost. He said the Pakistani nation has no shortage of heroes and all those who laid down their lives for the country are its heroes.

“If anyone is interested in bringing in new heroes for the nation, one should hold a referendum on the names of proposed national heroes to see the aspirations of the nation,” he added.

He said a book which was never approved by the Punjab Textbook Board must not be used as a basis for negative propaganda against the board or the MUB.

He said: “How could we ban the book about a scientist or a picture of Malala when we did not get it for approval. The Punjab Textbook Board administration confiscated the book published without NOC under the law.” He said he failed to understand that those who talked about upholding the law are violating the law passed by the Punjab Assembly. He pointed out that in the past, textbooks were published against the two-nation theory, ideology of Pakistan and Islamic values.

To restrain the misuse of the blasphemy law, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs were acquitted of illegal allegations and sent home. Besides, the MUB has so far reviewed more than 150 textbooks.