[The News (Pak)] The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Lakki chapter and administrators of various seminaries have condemned the arrest of religious leaders and demolition of madaris during the recent operation against the militants.Tossing holy men in jug really hits home...
In a joint meeting here on Friday, the participants decided to organize a 'Tahaffuz-e-Madaris convention' in the near future. They said that action against seminaries and clerics would spread hatred among the people against the government.
That's assuming there's a deep and abiding love for holy men among the people. I think there's a deep and abiding fear of them, and of what they stand for. I think the hatred of the people for the government is based rather on its rapacity and incompetence.
They said the security forces launched operations on three separate occasions during the recent days against the militants in Shah Hasankhel. However, neither any militant was killed nor arrested in the operation, they added. "Local Ulema and Taliban are peace loving and they always supported government's actions to ensure writ of the state and improve the law and order situation in the district," they added.
I think the ulema and their talibs are of the same opinion as Sufi Mohammad: that democracy is un-Islamic and that individual freedom is the work of the devil.
They said the demolition of the seminaries was a condemnable act as the law enforcement agencies did not recover any weapons and objectionable material during the operation. They demanded of the government to order release of the arrested clerics and direct law enforcement agencies to refrain from launching operations against religious schools.