National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani on Friday banned the Allama Iqbal Open University’s (AIOU) eleventh class book ‘Imraniyat’ as it was projecting allegedly “anti-Islamic values in the youth”.
Giving his ruling for banning the book, he asked the quarters concerned to take legal action against the alleged responsible who had drafted it and permitted it to be published, and above all allowed it to be taught to the students. Talking on a point of order, Jaamat-e-Islami’s Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali raised the issue that in the said book, the ‘veil of woman’ was allegedly portrayed as one of the main hindrances in the advancement of society. He further said the book allegedly promoted Riba (usury) trying to build a positive perception[…] by giving examples it had played in the economic development of the countries. Giving reference to the book, it was allegedly stated that by banning the usury it would deprive the country’s economy of flourishing and grooming further.
Demanding the ban on the book, Maulana Chitrali proposed that the government should take stern action against all those people allegedly involved in the compilation of this book which was “propagating anti-Islamic values in our young generation”. He also highlighted that in Sindh, the provincial government was also appointing “non-Muslims” for teaching the subject of Islamiyat, accommodating them in the allocated two percent quota of minorities in jobs. He said “how a non-believer could teach the true spirit of Islam to the students as he himself did not believe in the Islamic teachings and values”. He asked the deputy speaker to give his ruling on this important issue and direct the Sindh government to appoint Muslims for teaching the subject of Islamiyat in schools and colleges. Responding to incorrect translation of Holy Quran by a particular segment of the society, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi said the Punjab government instead of taking up the issue allegedly ignored it. He also urged the deputy speaker to give his ruling on this serious matter of public interest. NA Deputy Speaker Durrani while giving his ruling asked the provincial governments to take adequate actions to resolve the following issues on priority.
