LAHORE: Welcoming Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer of a grand dialogue, the Muttahida Ulema Board (MUB) on Saturday urged all political parties to accept it because no single party can steer the country out of national crisis it’s facing.

The suggestion came from MUB chairman Allama Tahir Ashrafi at a press conference held at the end of the board’s meeting.

“The board appeals to all political and religious leaders to join hands for finding a solution to the national crisis,” he said.

The meeting adopted a six-point resolution, which demanded the OIC to punish India and boy­cott Indian products for blasphemous remarks by a spokesperson for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

It also condemned the social media campaign against Pakistan’s armed forces and the army chief.

Pakistan, Mr Ashrafi said, must immediately raise the issue of blasphemous remarks at the OIC and the foreign minister should contact other Muslim countries for a joint action against India.

The resolution demanded an end to ongoing social media campaign against armed forces and the army chief.

The meeting was informed that the board had cleared over 500 textbooks, which were now part of the national syllabus besides resolving 200 cases of accusations of blasphemy.

“Over the last two years, not even a single case of misuse of blasphemy law has been allowed. In every case, the board checked facts according to religious dictates and the Constitution and cleared them on merit. Even the minorities now trust the board for such cases,” the resolution said.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2022