Suicide attacks violate Sharia, decrees PUC

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Monday fully supported a fatwa issued by the scholars that suicide attacks were prohibited (Haram) under the title of unjust killing and justified the state security institutions action against them.

The PUC’s support to the fatwa came during a meeting of its Central Majlis-e-Shura and Ameela held under the chairmanship of Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi here. Over 200 members of Majlis-e-Shura and Ameela from across the country participated in the meeting.

According to the Council, the armed groups engaged in actions against the state in the name of linguistics, regional, religious and sectarian identities were disobeying the injunctions of Sharia and tearing apart the national unity and justified the state institutions’ action against all of them.

The Council announced to organize countrywide ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan, Ulema-Mashaykh conventions’ and to carry out a vigorous campaign for implementation of Paigham-e-Pakistan National Action Plan.

Keeping in view the current situation of the country, the Central Majlis-e-Shura decided that Paigham-e-Pakistan Ulema-Mashaykh Convention will be held across the country and also urged the government to ensure full implementation of the National Action Plan to annihilate terrorism and extremism.

The meeting pointed out that national unity against extremism and terrorism was the need of the hour, as anti-Pakistan elements were once again mobilizing against the improving economic situation and stability in Pakistan and the terrorist incidents in Pakistan during the last few days were evident of these conspiracies.

Amidst this situation, the PUC has decided to carry out a vigorous campaign at the national level for the implementation of Paigham-e-Pakistan narrative. Similarly, the Council also demands the government that the National Action Plan should be fully implemented.

A PUC declaration after the meeting stated that leading Ulema and Mashaykh from all the religious schools of thought in Pakistan, and the most influential personalities of the Islamic world had signed the Paigham-e-Pakistan draft, in which it had been categorically stated that all the sections of life, including the Ulema, and Mashaykh, will stand united with the state and the security forces and the whole nation declared full and unconditional cooperation with the armed forces and other security agencies of Pakistan in this war of national survival.

It stated that armed sectarian conflict and the method of imposing one’s ideas on others on the basis of force was contrary to the laws of Shariat and amounted to fanning chaos in the land.

“It is a national crime according to the constitution and laws of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the declaration said. It said Pakistan was an Islamic state and the government and security forces were bound by the constitution of Pakistan and take oath according to it; therefore, armed actions against the government or security forces of Pakistan fell under the category of rebellion, which was prohibited by law.

It further stated that it was undoubtedly the first responsibility of the government to fully implement the Islamic provisions of the constitution and a peaceful and constitutional struggle to fulfill this responsibility was certainly the important duty of Muslims, but for this purpose, taking up arms was a mischief in the land and it was strictly prohibited in Hadiths of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and those involved in this armed rebellion or who helped or supported it in any way were in violation of the words of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

It said the action taken by the security forces and agencies against such miscreants had the full support of the nation. The joint declaration called for the government to file an appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court to abolish the military courts and said the Pakistan Ulema Council had reservations about this decision.

“There are ambiguities in this very judgment and there is no guidance regarding punishments and expeditious trial of May 9 perpetrators,” it stated.

It said the judgment of the apex court against the military courts could possibly motivate the elements engaged in activities against the security forces and security agencies in future and in the current situation, so the Pakistan Ulema Council rejected it.

The Council endorsed the decision of the government to evict the illegal foreigners and made it clear that ‘Afghanistan is our neighbor and dear brother, we have served the Afghan brothers for forty years, and we will continue to serve them, but the Afghan brethren are also requested to take legal cover to live in Pakistan and those foreigners and Afghan residents who are legally residing in Pakistan would be provided with protection and facilities in every way.’

The joint declaration said if there were any problems for the illegal Afghan brothers leaving Pakistan, the Ministry of Interior should try to resolve the issues in this regard and the delegation of Pakistan Ulema Council will meet with the minister of interior in next two to three days and keep the reservations in front of them in this regard.

The PUC strongly condemned the atrocities committed by Israel in Palestine and expected the Arab leaders from the meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on November 11 to come up with a plan of action against this oppression.

The Council also regretted the silence of the United States, United Kingdom, and European countries on Israeli aggression and brutality and strongly condemned them.

It also thanked Russia and China for their stance on the Palestine issue and also demanded immediate severance of diplomatic relations with the Muslim countries that had relations with Israel.