ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: Minister for Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr Mohammad Ijaz-ul-Haq on Thursday regretted the Opposition’s decision of not joining the parliamentary delegation scheduled to visit Brussels to meet members of the European Parliament.

“The refusal of the opposition demonstrates that it was trying to use this pure religious issue for taking political advantage,” he told newspersons here.

Ijaz said that he personally telephoned Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Amin Fahim and Chaudhry Nisar Ali asking them to nominate their members for the delegation.

“The delegation comprising MNAs Ms Attiya Anayatullah, Syed Asad Raza Gillani, Israrul Ibad and Mushtaq Victor will now depart for Brussels in the first week of next month despite the opposition’s refusal,” he added.

The minister said the delegation will meet members of the European Parliament to explain the feelings of Muslims in Pakistan about the publication of blasphemous cartoons in the Western media.

The delegation on its way back will stop at Jeddah to brief the OIC secretary-general about their deliberations with their parliamentary colleagues in the European Parliament, he added.

Pakistan, he said, took the initiative and decided to send its parliamentary delegation to the European Parliament to develop understanding over the issue.

Prominent religious leaders have condemned the destruction during rallies in Lahore and Peshawar, he said, and added that the Christian community had also shown concern and condemned the act.

Mr Ijaz said the government has decided to observe Rabi-ul-Awwal as the month of “Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat.

All provincial governments have been directed to arrange seminars and Seerat conferences during the month, he added.

He said the national Seerat Conference will now be organized as an international event in which religious scholars from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia and other Muslim countries will participate.

Answering a question, he said the government will devise a code of conduct for holding rallies and public meetings. “Opposition members can hold peaceful rallies and meetings in accordance with the code of conduct.”

He said the entire nation has similar feelings about the publication of blasphemous cartoons.—APP