SWABI: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leader Maulana Hamdullah Jan on Friday said seminaries weren’t involved in terrorism in anyway and therefore, they should not be linked with the menace.

Addressing a function at his seminary, Dagai Madrassah, the JUI-F leader said a false impression had been created about the involvement of seminaries in terrorism.

He said seminaries had always talked about and promoted Islam and peace and that those who had doubts about it should study history to know about their contribution to the education of Muslims and promotion of the message of peace.

“Under a well-thought-out conspiracy, seminaries are being defamed. However, anti-Islam forces should know the JUI-F along with other religious parties and institutions will thwart their evil designs,” he said.

Maulana Hamdullah said there was not a single seminarian among the convicted terrorists hanged over the last few weeks, showing seminaries had nothing to do with acts of violence in the country. He said it was high time that Islamic forces get united to protect seminaries and other religious institutions in the country.

The JUI-F leader said the country faced a critical situation and therefore, everyone should diligently discharge their responsibilities.

INDUSTRIALISTS WARNED: The district administration has warned the Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate entrepreneurs against giving jobs to illegal aliens, especially Afghans, in their units. The industrialists were also told to sack such foreigners at once.

In the final notice, the district administration asked entrepreneurs of the estate through the Gadoon Industrial Association to fire all unregistered alien employees, especially Afghan refugees, within 48 hours.

It said if aliens were employed by Gadoon industrialists without securing a no objection certificate from it, then the association would be to blame.

When contacted, Gadoon Industrial Association president Zahid Khan said the deputy commissioner had issued directives on the matter to the Sarhad Development Authority.

He said some Afghan nationals had original identity cards and complete documents, so they couldn’t be expelled immediately.

Zahid Khan said industrialists couldn’t sack the Afghans working with them for years.

“We’ll meet the officials of the district administration on the matter very soon,” he said.

The association president, however, said if any alien worker threatened security, then he won’t be allowed to stay in the country.

He said the association would seek relaxation of the 48-hour deadline.

Published in Dawn January 10th , 2014

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