KARACHI, Jan 23: Leaders of the Ittehad Tanzimat Madaris-i-Deeniah, Sindh, have stated that madressahs, which have been playing an important role in increasing literacy rate in the country without receiving any assistance from the government and promoting Islamic values in society, are being harassed through the law-enforcing agencies in the name of registration.

Describing the government’s move to “bring madressahs into the mainstream” as a conspiracy hatched by anti-Islamic elements to destroy the Islamic institutions, they said that the Jan 25 convention being organized by the Ittehad at the Jamia Uloom-i-Islamia, Binnori Town, would prove a milestone in protecting the Islamic identity of country.

The leaders were expressing their views at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday. It was addressed by the Nazim-i-Ala of the ITMD, Maulana Sarfaraz Naeemi, who was accompanied by Maulana Mohammad Adil Khan, Maulana Imdadullah, Qari Mohammad Usman, Maulana Ghulam Mohammad Sayyalvi, Maulana Abdul Rauf, Mufti Mohammad Naeem, Nazim-i-Ala of the institution’s Azad Kashmir chapter Qazi Mehmoodul Hasan Ashraf and other scholars.

Dr Naeemi said that leaders of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman , Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Prof Shah Faridul Haq, Prof Sajid Mir, Dr Abdul Razzaq Iskander, Maulana Samiul Haq, Mian Naeemur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Malik, Maulana Shah Anas Noorani and Mufti-i-Pakistan Mufti Mohammad Rafi Usmani would be addressing the convention, besides leaders from various chapters of the ITMD from across the country.

The ulema, while deliberating upon the problems being faced by madressahs, would also present a strategy chalked out to meet the challenges and counter the threats posed by secular forces and their activities.

He said that the present rulers, soon after taking up the reins of power, had been pursuing a policy of confrontation with the institutions of religious education and attempting to impose their secular ideas on the people of Pakistan.

“They also tried to eliminate Clause 295-C of the constitution but after strong reaction from the nation, they did not do so, although the clause was rendered ineffective.” He said that the rulers were bent upon amending the Hadood and Qisas laws in the name of ‘reforms’ whereas Indian culture and non-Islamic festival were being projected. The electronic media, he said, was being exploited to foment the war of civilizations started by the US against Islamic traditions, values and culture.

He pointed out that religious forces were the only hurdle in the way of the rulers who were striving hard to pursue an anti-Islam agenda. To remove this hurdle, he added, the rulers had come out openly against ulema, religious scholars and seminaries.

“They consider ulema and madressahs as enemy targets and are bent upon eliminating them… the remarks by President Bush and other US administration officials, ambassadors and diplomats in this regard are on record.”

In reply to a question, Dr Naeemi said madressahs had been got registered under an agreement reached between the government and representatives of various religious institutions.

Responding to another question, he said the ITMD opposed repatriation or expulsion of foreign students studying in Pakistani madressahs without allowing them to complete their courses.

He argued that their forcible repatriation would bring a bad name to the country and tarnish its image abroad.