PESHAWAR: Religious scholars belonging to different sects said at a peace conference here on Thursday that seminaries should not be linked with terrorism.

They condemned the Dec 16 terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar but said that propaganda against religious seminaries would not be tolerated.

They said that ‘undue criticism’ on religious seminaries in the wake of Peshawar carnage should be stopped.

The peace conference was organised by Almi Muttahida Ulema-o-Mashaikh Council at Peshawar Press Club. Allama Mohammad Shoaib, central chairman of Almi Muttahida Ulema-o-Mashaikh Council, presided over the conference. Maulana Charag Din Shah, Allama Abid Shakri, Qari Masayab Gul, Syed Mehmoodul Hassan, Maulana Mohammad Yousaf, Mualana Abdul Huda and PML-Q provincial president Intikhab Chamkani addressed the conference.

Welcome establishment of military courts for speedy trial of terrorists

Besides representative of different religious parties and traders, people of different walks of life attended the conference.

The speakers said that undue criticism on religious seminaries after Peshawar attack would not be tolerated and should be stopped immediately. “We condemn terrorism and all form of its manifestations but propaganda against religious seminaries must stop,” they said.

They said that religious seminaries were spreading the teachings of the holy Quran and Hadis. Seminaries should not be linked with terrorism, they added.

The speakers said that if any credible evidence against seminaries was available then it should be discussed with the Ulema and Mashaikh Council through a responsible committee. They said that action against seminaries should only be taken on the basis of appropriate investigations.

The speakers said that those, who attacked innocent schoolchildren in Peshawar, had neither any link with Islam nor humanity. They termed the attack on school a barbaric act.

They said that the Peshawar carnage united the entire nation along with civil and military leadership against terrorism. They hoped that sacrifices of innocent schoolchildren would not go waste and peace would be restored in the country.

The speakers demanded of the government to ensure implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) to uproot terrorism and restore peace in the country. They called upon all religious and political parties to shun differences and work jointly for restoration of peace. They said that religious harmony should be promoted in the country.

The speakers welcomed establishment of military courts for trying terrorists and hoped that the courts would carry out speedy trials by following the required procedure of justice. They also lauded the government and all political parties for the passage of 21st Amendment.

Mualana Shoaib read out a communiqué at end of conference to suggest various measures for establishment of peace, interfaith harmony and dealing with internal and external challenges.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2015

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