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| India-Pakistan |
| JUI-F, JI differ over Jamia Hafsa issue |
| 2007-04-12 |
| A difference of opinion has again emerged between the two major component parties of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) – the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) – as MMA leader Qazi Hussain Ahmad on Wednesday supported the steps taken by the Jamia Hafsa administration. The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazulur Rehman recently termed the madrassa students’ actions misleading and a conspiracy against religious institutions, however, Ahmad said the Lal Masjid’s announcements were “positive steps” towards the enforcement of Shariah in the country.Talking to journalists after attending the JI’s central committee meeting at Markaz-e-Islami, the MMA chief said that Jamia Hafsa’s demands of enforcement of Shariah were according to the Quran and Sunnah. “It is the right of every mosque and madrassa administrator to establish courts and to decide people’s disputes according to Shariah. Establishment of Qazi courts in mosques and madrassas on the pattern of jirgas or panchayat for the restoration of peace and justice are nothing new. In the past, the government supervised such courts and now it is opposing the idea,” Ahmad said. “Lal Masjid’s declaration is not a violation of the law and the state’s writ, but it is a traditional peace jirga meant to prevent un-Islamic activities and to solve people’s problems in accordance with Shariah,” he added. Supporting Lal Masjid administrator Maulana Abdul Aziz, Ahmad said the setting up of Qazi courts were part of the MMA government’s Hasba Bill that was hindered by the federal government. “Some people are conspiring against the Lal Masjid’s administration. Maulana Abdul Aziz has not issued any threat to citizens and the MMA does not want to implement Shariah by force,” Ahmad said. He demanded that the Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarians (PPPP) join the joint opposition’s protest on the MMA’s call in front of the Supreme Court (SC) building on April 13 against the suspension of CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Ahmad appealed to the PPPP leadership to avoid dividing the opposition and to join the protest against President Pervez Musharraf. The PPPP leadership had earlier announced a separate protest demonstration in front of the SC on the day of the presidential reference’s hearing. |
| Posted by:Fred |