ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The Wafaqul Madaris Arabia Pakistan, a conglomerate of seminaries, urged the government on Saturday to carry out an operation against the killers of ulema and madressah students in Karachi.

In a statement on Saturday, religious scholars belonging to the WMAP regretted that several ulema, teachers and students of seminaries had lost their lives in targeted attacks but the government had failed to take effective action against those responsible.

Sheikhul Hadis Maulana Saleemullah Khan, Maulana Abdur Razaq Sikandar, Maulana Muhammad Hanif Jalandri and Maulana Anwarul Haq asked the government to give up what they called double standard and take action against all elements fanning sectarianism and those involved in the killing of innocent people whether they were Shia or Sunni.

Double standard and discrimination could further increase sectarianism, they said, adding that killing of innocent people was deplorable and highly condemnable.

About the killing of people of Shia-Hazara community in Quetta, they said all religious groups and political parties, including WMAP, had not only condemned it but also demanded that those involved in the killings should be exposed and taken to task.

But the ugly Quetta incident should not be used for launching an indiscriminate crackdown on the innocent faithful. Such incidents should not be linked to religion, and indiscriminate killings, raids and arrests should be avoided, they said.

The government should try to get to the people involved in such activities and other factors should also be taken into consideration instead of making them basis for crackdown and violence on religious groups, they said.