ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) on Wednesday termed the self-styled Islamic State (Daesh) as a ‘Khawarij’ (those who deviated from mainstream Islam).

This declaration was made at the international ‘Paigham –i-Islam’ conference organised by the PUC. Mufti-e-Azam Palestine Al-Sheikh Muhammad Ahmed Hussein presided over the event.

The declaration, passed during the conference, condemned the attacks on schools, colleges and worship places. It said Daesh and other such terrorist organisations were a challenge to the Muslim world and that they were defaming Islam and attacking Muslims based on their defective beliefs.The declaration further said there was a need for unanimous efforts to eradicate terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence from the society. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism and extremism and the elements that were fanning differences among believers of different religions and sects have vested interests, it stressed.

Speaking at the conference, Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq said there was a need to differentiate between terror groups and genuine resistance.

“Pakistan has always supported the Palestinian cause and we will continue to support the justified stance of the Palestinian people, who are victims of state-sponsored terror and suppression,” Raja Zafarul Haq said.

However, he said, following recent developments, the Muslim world was faced with a new kind of challenge.

He added that there were serious threats from terrorists that had to be countered through narratives and education.

“This is a serious threat and can be defied through ideology and reasoning to portray the real face of Islam,” Raja Zafarul Haq added.

He also asked Ulema to stand up and face the threats from terror groups who were committing atrocities in the name of Islam.The participants, including senior clerics from various schools of thought, called for guiding and educating Muslim youth against menaces of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism.

They said all those organisations that were responsible for killings of people and weakening Islamic countries in the name ‘Islam and Jehad’ should be declared anti-Islam and anti-Muslim’.

PUC Chairman Allama Mohammad Tahir Ashrafi said: “All these terrorist organisations that attack schools, colleges and educational institutions are anti-Islam and anti-Muslims,” adding that “we cannot allow any group or organisation to impose its will on any segment of the population in Pakistan”.

He also criticised the current state of National Action Plan and said it should be implemented in true sprit.

“What we have is a small circle of illiterates who think it was in Sharia to ban ‘girls education’ and try to force their own version of Islam on the society,” Allama Tahir Ashrafi said. “And it was the duty of us Ulema, clerics and Mashaykh to stand up against these elements,” he added.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2016