LAHORE, Nov 4: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool defended on Sunday the government decision to support the United States. He also said protest rallies at this stage would harm the cause of Islam and Pakistan.

The general said nobody should doubt the willingness of the Pakistani people and the army to render sacrifices for Pakistan, Islam and brother Islamic countries. The government, he said, had indeed meant to protect Islam not just seek some financial benefits for Pakistan and to avoid hardship.

Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Suffah Islamic University at Sooye Asil, he said: “It is time for statesmanship and not for putting Pakistan and Islam at stake for petty personal and political interests.”

Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan chief and World Islamic Mission (Trust) Pakistan chairman Maulana Noorani and Qazi Zawwar Bahadur also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, Khalid Maqbool laid the foundation stone of the university and Maulana Noorani of a mosque to be called Masjid Abu Huraira.

The governor said the government policy would not only strengthen Pakistan and Islam but also alleviate sufferings of the people of Afghanistan. If there was any danger to Islam or any Islamic state, the Pakistani people and the army would render the needed sacrifices.

He praised the ulema supporting the government and hoped that they would not allow anybody to mislead the people in the name of Islam.

The governor said Pakistan was the only country in the Islamic world having a nuclear arsenal. “This status demands a responsible attitude in dealing with all kinds of situations,” he said.

President Pervez Musharraf, he said, had taken far-sighted decisions in the best national interest. The government, he said, wanted to turn Pakistan into a modern Islamic welfare state. The objective, he said, could not be achieved unless “we promote a culture of restraint, camaraderie and responsibility”.

He urged religious seminaries to play their role in promoting such a culture. He said ulema had an important responsibility in this regard.

Since Sept 11, he said, the world was more curious about Islam and whether it supported terrorism or peace. “We can answer these questions through our deeds.”

He said it was the duty of the ulema to wage a jihad against terrorism and sectarianism so that those bringing a bad name to the country and the religion were defeated. He praised Maulana Noorani’s father and said today’s preachers of Islam needed to follow his example.

The governor quoted from the Holy Quran, ahadith and Allama Iqbal to highlight the importance of education. He praised the World Islamic Mission for launching the project and the religious seminaries, which had played a major role in the propagation of Islam.

He also quoted instances from the life of Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) to establish the importance of forgiveness and exercising restraint.

Maulana Noorani condemned the killings of Christians in a Bahawalpur church and described the attack as part of a deep conspiracy against Muslims.

Citing example of past Muslim rulers, he said the government should suspend the administration of the area where such an incident took place.

A political government, he said, could be under pressure to spare an inefficient administration but the excuse was not available to the present government which remained “above all sorts of expediency”.

Dilating upon the importance of the Islamic university, he highlighted the importance of education and training in Islam.

Qari Zawwar Bahadur said students at the university would be taught foreign languages to help them preach Islam in foreign countries.