LAHORE: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman warns the government to follow all accords with religious seminaries, failing which the religious leadership will close all of them and launch a ‘court arrest movement’ (Jail Bharo Tehreek) under protest.

“A conspiracy is being hatched to create misunderstanding between the army and religious leaders. And we will never allow anyone to do it. But even though someone tried to target seminaries, we will close the institutes and launch a Jail Bharo Tehreek in the country. So the government must follow the accords made with the seminaries time to time,” the JUI-F leader said while speaking at a seminar held here on Thursday.

He said since the government was testing their patience, they shouldn’t be forced to take difficult decisions leading to unrest in the country.

Talking about the blasphemous caricatures, he said those doing such a condemnable and shameful act in the West were actually fanning terrorism in the world by playing with sentiments of the Muslims.

He said Islam always teaches peace, safety and patience, as it has no room for any sort of terrorism. He said those who pushed youth and students toward Afghan Jehad in the past were safe today.

“Today teachers of Jehad are safe and students unsafe,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2015

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