Interfaith leaders reject US move against Pakistan

LAHORE: A conference of scholars and leaders representing different religions have strongly rejected as unfair the decision of US State Department to list Pakistan among the countries of special concerns for oppressing religious freedoms, and stressed that all religious minorities in Pakistan are more secured than any other country and free to practise their faiths.

The conference, chaired by Special Aide to the Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East affairs, and Chairman Muttahida Ulema Board Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, also warned that personal social issues could not be linked with religious persecution.

They asserted that Pakistan’s Constitution and laws guarantee equal rights to all religions without discrimination. They expressed serious concerns that more than 200 churches were set ablaze by Hindu fanatics, over 150 mosques were demolished and more than 50 Christian religious leaders were killed in India, but strangely, Washington completely ignored the persecution against religious minorities in India.

The religious leaders warned that overlooking Indian state oppression of religious minorities and making a false propaganda against Pakistan without any proof tantamount to creating a hostile atmosphere against Pakistan in the world. They expressed confidence that the United States would fail in its attempts.

The meeting was participated by Father Emmanuel Khokhar, Sardar Sikandar Singh, Bhagat Lal Khokhar, Allama Zubair Abid, Mufti Muhammad Ali Naqshbandi, Sohail Ahmad Raza, Hafiz Noman, Maulana Aslam Siddiqui, Maulana Muhammad Aslam Qadri and others.

All religious leaders in the meeting agreed that there was no issue among different faiths in Pakistan at religious level, but social and personal problems were found in some places that need to be addressed with tolerance. In this regard, a 20-member Special Committee for Interfaith Harmony, headed by Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, was formed to take up alleged forced conversion or forced marriages issues in weekly consultative meetings and resolve them with the help of local administrations.

Later, briefing the media, Tahir Ashrafi said for over a year, the special committee had been inviting those organisations and NGOs which were spreading such rumours that they should come up with facts and talk to the government for resolving all kind of issues. But none of the NGOs came up with proofs of any problem they had indicated. Instead of coming to authorities, those NGOs reach out to foreign embassies for creating hue and cry in the outside world, he said, asking that why didn't those NGOs come to the authorities or invite them to discuss the problems.

He alleged that NGOs making false propaganda regarding religious intolerance have their own vicious intentions and agenda, but they would fail ultimately. He said minorities in Pakistan had been enjoying complete religious freedom and none of them were subjected to any restrictions anywhere.

He said the government had taken many steps for amending syllabi for ensuring complete religious harmony. He categorically rejected allegations that blasphemy of religious and blasphemy of Holy Prophet (SAW) laws were being misused in Pakistan or forced religious conversions were made.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had made it clear that Islam did not believe in coercion and no group would be allowed to pursue its own agenda in the name of Islam. He said allegations of religious persecution could not be made on the basis of personal issues. He said Pakistan made laws that require bride and groom to be adult for contracting marriages. It is the law of Islam and also the fatwa of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). He also said that over the last year, the reported cases that were linked with personal religious intolerance were less than 50 and some of those cases were pending in the courts for decisions.

Similarly, 113 cases brought before Muttahida Ulema Board Punjab had been decided. He said the next meeting of special committee of Interfaith harmony would be held with Christian leaders on Dec 4, while the meetings with Sikh and Hindu leaders would be held afterwards to resolve the personal issues faced by them.

Ashrafi told a questioner that Prime Minister Imran Khan was playing the role of a caller for prayers by talking of making country Madinah like state. “Now the people should also enforce the rules of the state of Madinah on themselves.” People of all social strata are involved in frauds, adulteration, plunder and falsehood, than ask where is the Madinah state.” He warned that all people would have to enforce Islamic laws on themselves.

To a question, he said that the law minister was in consultation with religious leaders on many legal issues, including the Sikh Marriage Act. To another question, he said by extending special financial package, Saudi Arabia has proved once again that it is Pakistan's best friend.