IF all religious parties of Pakistan unite, they can draft and implement a unanimous truly Muslim Constitution as true leaders of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are Ulema. Union of religious political parties is the need of the hour as people are sick and tired of secular, political and military leaders misrepresenting them as their leaders. Religious leaders need to stop issuing statements against each other so that they can form unimpressionable alliances in the coming elections. These views were shared by guests at the Jang Forum held on the topic ‘Politics of the Religious Parties’. The guests at the forum were Jamaat-e-Islami leader Dr Fareed Paracha, Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafur Haidri, Jamiat Ahle Hadith leader Allama Zubair Ahmed Zaheer, Allama Mazhar Abbas Alvi of the Shia Ulema Council and JUP leader Qari Zawwar Bahadur. Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafur Haidri said that although Pakistan was created in the name of Islam yet this dream of an Islamic state never materialized. He mentioned that his party realized this as early as three years after independence and proposed the 22 pronged agenda which was still a part of their manifesto. He alleged that the establishment has always planned and executed ways to keep the religious parties especially JUI away from a powerful position in the parliament. He said that JUI has always tried to keep all religious parties united but it’s been conspired against even by Zia-ul-Haq who divided religious parties. He called for reestablishment of MMA with the inclusion of JI. Jamaat-e-Islami leader Dr Fareed Paracha said that the natural leadership of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are the Ulema. He blamed that due to the hegemony of feudalist, capitalists and foreign agents in the national politics the religious political parties have always been forcefully pushed aside. He said that in the light of Article 62 and 63 of the constitution Ulema are the most
relevant and competent political leadership of the country. He said that the union of the religious leadership was the need of the hour as the nation needs its true representation. He said that MMA had misunderstandings between its allies and we need to correct that and look beyond it now. He said that religious leaders need to stop issuing offensive statements against each other. He said that if MMA gets its act together they can end up forming a formidable alliance with PMLN and/or PTI. Jamiat Ahle Hadith leader Allama Zubair Ahmed Zaheer said that the people have tried and tested the political and military rulers a number of times and have failed miserably therefore it was now time for the religious leadership to come to the people’s rescue. He said that had Zia-ul-Haq not come in power post 1977 elections, the religious parties would have formed the government. He was of the view that all political parties should unite for the common cause of drafting and implementing a true Islamic system in Pakistan. JUP leader Qari Zawwar Bahadur said that if religious parties unite, no secular party of alliance can defeat them in the elections. He said that religious parties need to stop letting establishment seed conflict between them and should convince Jamaat-e-Islami to rejoin MMA so that it can represent the true strength of religious parties. Allama Masher Abbas Alvi of the Shia Ulema Council said that the dominant majority of Pakistan is pro-Islam and all secular control is a sham representation. The people want enforcement of the Islamic system however, the religious parties, over the years, have failed to provide the kind of leadership needed for this cause. He dispelled the notion that the Shia Community only votes for PPP. He held the stance that the Shia voter respect the opinion and decision of its leadership and votes for the alliances it represents.
