PUC’s joint declaration for harmony during Muharram

ISLAMABAD: Leadership of different religious and political organisations across Pakistan have announced unanimously to ensure implementation on “Paigham-e-Pakistan Code of Conduct” with collaboration of Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) and Muttahida Ulema Board for restoration of peace and religious harmony during the month of Muharram ul Haram.

In a joint declaration, released following the meeting, held in the chair of PUC Chairman and Special Representative to Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, it has been stated that a coordination network has been established across the country in aegis of the office of Chairman Muttahida Ulema Board.

Ashrafi said coordination centers have also been established respectively in Lahore and Islamabad to avert any untoward situation during the month of Muharram ul Haram.

Paigham-e-Pakistan Code of Conduct consists of following 14 points, which states:

1) Sectarian hatred, armed sectarian conflict and the use of force to impose one's views and ideology on others is against the rules of Islamic Shariah and spreading anarchy and chaos in the state is a national crime.

2) Ulema, Mashaikhs and Muftis of all religious sects of Pakistan unanimously reject extremist thinking and extremism completely.

3) It is a responsibility to keep and ensure the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and the spouses of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Ahle-Bayt (RA) and all religious schools of thought refrain from those who utter sacrilegious comments and fan sectarian differences.

4) Swearing against each other (Galum Galuch), slander, provocation, hatred and killing one another on the accounts of hatred or dissension or imposing one's ideology and views on others through coercion or persecution of each other's lives is against the Islamic Shariah. All these practices are Haram and the Ulema and Mashaikhs of the country declare their dissociation against such elements.

5) The use of religious symbols and raising slogans for private objectives and purposes and for the acquisition of armed power (Influence) is absolutely not correct according to the Quran and Sunnah.

6) It is the responsibility of the Ulema, Mashaikhs and Muftis to make people aware of the differences between right and wrong ideologies, while declaring someone as infidel (Takfir) is the jurisdiction of the state which will be decided by the state according to Islamic Shariah.