20 religious parties form political alliance

LAHORE

About 20 religious parties of Barelvi school of thought formed a grand political alliance titled ‘Nizam-e-Mustafa Muttahida Mahaz’ (NMMM) to contest coming elections by combining political strength of religious groups working for the enforcement of Shariah in the country. 

The announcement of forming the alliance was made at a media briefing after a grand meeting of religious parties at Aiwan-e-Iqbal on Tuesday hosted by custodian of Alipur Shrine Pir Munawwar Hussain Shah Jamaati. The meeting appointed former federal minister Sahabzada Hamid Saeed Kazmi as NMMM coordinator for an interim period of one month for mobilising other parties whereas a five-member committee was formed to evolve constitution and manifesto of the NMMM within a fortnight. The alliance’s Majlis Shoora (central executive committee) has been constituted comprising presidents and secretary generals of all component parties. The next meeting of the alliance will be held on November 20 at Idara Taleemat Islamia, Rawalpindi, and hosted by Jamaat Ahle Sunnat for the approval of its constitution and future line of action. 

Hamid Saeed Kazmi told the media that NMMM was established to protect Islamic identity of Pakistan and articles of the Constitution about the honour of Holy Prophet (PBUH), status of Qadiyanis, and to counter conspiracies against Islamic laws and traditions in the country. He said the meeting demanded punishment to those responsible for an attempt to amend the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat oath in the garb of amending electoral laws and bringing an end to the persecution and harassment of religious scholars and workers under the garb of anti-terrorism operations. He said the NMMM would gather all Sufis, saints and custodians on its platform and would not let their votes divided in the coming elections. 

He said the meeting has decided to make efforts to bring two other major alliances of Barelvi school of thought, Tehrik Labbaik Ya Rasullallah (TLYR) and Tehrik Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), in its fold at the earliest. 

The meeting was participated by Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) president Hamid Raza, JUP-Noorani president Dr Abul Khair Zubair, JUP president Pir Ijaz Hashmi, PML-N MPA Pir Mehfooz Mashadi, All Pakistan Mashaikh Council chairman Pir Munawwar Shah Jamaati, JUP- Niazi president Pir Masoom Hussain Naqvi, Sunni Tehrik leader Shahid Ghauri, Jamaat Ahle Sunnat Amir Mian Abdul Khaliq, Pir Irfan Mashadi, Nizam-e-Mustafa party secretary general Usman Khan Noori, Mufti Iqbal Chishti, Tehrik Faizan Aulia president Pir Habib Ahmad Irfani, Jamaatus Salehin president Pir Khalid Sultan Qadri, custodian of Sharaqpur Shrine Mian Jalil Sharaqpuri, Jamiat Mashaikh president Pir Ghulam Rizwan Jilani, Pakistan Falah Party secretary Amanat Ali Zeb, Bhikki Sharif custodian Pir Navedul Hasan Mashadi, Mufti Tahir Tabassum, Shadab Raza Naqshbandi, Khalid Habib Elahi advocate, Mustafa Ashraf Rizvi, Dr Amjad Chishti, Nawaz Kharal and others.