KOHAT, Jan 23: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Maulana Fazalur Rehman has called upon religious scholars and prayer leaders to cope with new political and economic challenges confronting the Ummah.

Addressing an ulema convention at the Company Park here on Tuesday, the Maulana urged the scholars to discuss the dangers the Islamic laws and Pakistani culture were facing due to pro-western policies of the government. He sought suggestions as to what should be done from the platform of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam in this regard.

He criticised the amendments to Hudood Laws and changes in education curriculum, which he said, would not be accepted at any cost.

He said that anti-Islam policies were being enforced under an international conspiracy by anti-Islam forces through our rulers to weaken Muslims and destroy their identity.

“These challenges have increased the responsibilities of ulema who should now come out from seminaries and educate people about the threats,” he said.

Maulana Fazl, who spoke at the end of the convention, expressed anguish over political speeches made by the NWFP chief minister and other speakers.

He said: “You have wasted the precious opportunity to discuss challenges faced by Pakistan and other Muslim countries and educate ulema on current issues for which the convention was organised”.

He said that those who were ulema, prayer leaders and party activists should sit and others should leave the function. He said that ulema and prayer leaders needed a briefing on issues and added other leaders had turned the convention into a pre-poll public meeting.

Earlier, Chief Minister Akram Durrani highlighted the achievements of the MMA government during the past four years and termed Islamic banking, women university, free education for students up to class tenth, reforms in the revenue system and strengthening of the Shariah system in Malakand and the passage of the Hasba Bill a victory of the MMA.

He vowed to resist every move aimed at changing the curriculum as recommended by the Aga Khan Board.

He said that they had submitted a detailed report about the seminaries functioning in the province and the federal government had registered them after clearing them of charge of spreading terrorism.

He said that they twice passed the revised Hasba Bill despite fear of dissolution of the NWFP assembly by the federal government.