QUETTA: Several religious political parties in Balochistan have formed an anti-sectarianism alliance named Ittehad Millat Islamia Mahaz to promote religious harmony and brotherhood among all sects.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of religious political parties held here on Monday. The meeting was attended by leaders of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen, JUI-S, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan and Aalmi Tahafuz Khatm-i-Nabuwat.

The Chairman of the Islamic Ideological Council (IIC) and leader of JUI-F, Maulana Muhammad Khan Sheerani, presided over the meeting which discussed various issues and decided to form an alliance of religious political parties to fight sectarianism and promote harmony and brotherhood among all sects in the country. The first formal meeting of the alliance would be held on Aug 25 in Quetta.

Ittehad Millat Islamia Mahaz to promote religious harmony and brotherhood

Maulana Sheerani of the JUI-F was elected chairman of the alliance. Other office-bearers are: Maulana Ali Muhammad Abu-Turab, provincial chief of Jamiat Ahle Hadees, general secretary; Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi, provincial emir of JI, senior vice president; and Maulana Hashim Moosvi, Maulana Abdul Qadoos Sasoli, Maulana Shafiq Dolatzai and Maulana Anwarul Haq Haqqani, vice presidents of the alliance.

Talking to reporters, Maulana Sheerani said that establishing the alliance of religious parties was the need of the hour so that all important religious political parties in Balochistan could play their role against sectarianism.

He said that all religious parties of Balochistan were of the view that an alliance should be formed in the province to work against sectarianism and to promote religious harmony.

“The new alliance and its leadership will submit suggestions to solve problems faced by the Muslim Ummah.

“We will also review the issue of human rights at the platform of the alliance,” Maulana Sheerani said, adding that the alliance would also be extended at the federal level after making it functional in Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2016