November 23, 2008	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 24, 1429

HYDERABAD, Nov 22: The Jamaat-i-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan have rejected the recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on marriage and divorce and demanded that new chairman and members should be appointed on the council as the recommendations of CII are against the injunctions of Quran and Sunnah.

A delegation of the JI led by its provincial Ameer Maulana Asadullah Bhutto called on JUP president Dr Sahibzada Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair at his residence and discussed the situation arising out of the recommendations of CII on marriage and divorce.

The leaders of the two parties agreed to convene a conference of Ulema and Mashaikh to discuss the recommendations, impact of Hudood Ordinance and the alleged increasing activities of the Qadiyanis.

Sahibzada Zubair said that the recommendations of the CII depicted the secular thinking of the chairman and members of the council and stressed the need for the religious parties to unite on one platform to launch a joint struggle against the enemies of Islam.

Maulana Bhutto said that the members of the CII were appointed by Pervez Musharraf and added that the recommendations of the council on marriage and divorce were a part of secular agenda and a crude attempt to change the Islamic laws. He said the recommendations of the council could not be rendered ineffective by hollow statements of the rulers.

The JUP and JI leaders demanded that the chairman and the members of the council should be removed forthwith and religious scholars from all schools of thought should be appointed on the council to ensure that all recommendations were made in accordance with the Islamic laws.

CLARIFICATION: The Sindh governor’s secretariat has made it clear that the appointment of teachers is a continuing process and in order to ensure continuity in teaching and research, there has never been a ban on recruitment of teachers even in the presence of a general ban on recruitment in provincial government departments.

These observations have been made in response to a communication addressed to the governor by the vice-chancellor of the University of Sindh to lift ban on recruitments and appointments.

The university has, however, been cautioned that formalities may be completed while making appointments of teachers and research personnel.