ISLAMABAD, March 20: Rights groups, particularly women and religious minorities rights organisations and activists have opposed the appointment of JUI-F man as religious affairs minister in the incoming government.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, Insaani Huqooq Ittehad (alliance of human rights organisations and activists) and Women Action Forum (WAF) have expressed concern over the reports that JUI-F man is being appointed minister for religious affairs.

“We are extremely disturbed at reports that Maulana Fazlur Rahman, head of the JUI-F political party, or one of his like- minded colleagues may be appointed minister for religious affairs in the forthcoming new coalition government. Should this be true it will be catastrophic for the country in general and for women, non-Muslim Pakistanis and non-Sunni Muslims in particular.

“We strongly protest any such plans whereby he could act to contravene the will of the people and take Pakistan back towards theocracy and religious extremism imposed on us in the past.

“It only takes a glance at the JUI(F) election manifesto to see that it is extremely retrogressive regarding women, minorities and even non-Sunni-Muslim citizens of Pakistan. We saw a concrete example of JUI(F) politics beginning in action on March 19, 2008, when Maulana Fazlur Rahman and his colleagues absented themselves from the vote for Dr Fehmida Mirza as the first woman Speaker of the National Assembly.

“The Maulana is well-known for his orthodox views on religion, his very anti-women version of “Nizam-e-Mustafa”, his patronisation of the Taliban (both Afghan and Pakistani), his support for the MMA’s Shariah and Hasba Bills, and his latest threat to dig up and implement the recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology over the past 30+ years, some of which were extremely misogynist, thereby proclaiming his support for all the retrogressive rulings of Gen. Zia-ul-Haq. While girls’ schools, women’s skill training centres, NGO offices, barbers’ and CD shops are being attacked and closed every day, the Maulana has not uttered a word of condemnation.

“In the 2008 elections, the people have resoundingly rejected religious extremism and have voted for peace, tolerance and a respect for diversity. But the Maulana appears to be unable to accept the verdict and mandate of the people.

“We demand that the PPP, PML-N and ANP should immediately reconsider and withdraw any decision that their coalition may be contemplating in this direction for immediate and short-term political gains.”