ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) has maintained that armed struggle against the state is against the tenets of Islam and that those who shed blood in the name of religion have nothing to do with Islam as well as Pakistan. “Islam declares the murder of a single man as murder of the whole humanity,” a statement issued by the organisation said, adding that the PUC had already launched a mass contact drive to raise awareness among the masses about fight against terrorism as well as growing extremism and intolerance in the society. The PUC urged the political parties to join their struggle against militancy in the country. It called upon the parliament to give legal status to the recently launched national counter-terrorism narrative ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ through necessary legislation so that lives of the coming generations should be made safe.
The organisation urged the people to play their due role for end to terrorism, extremism and violence from the society. “Being citizens of this country, it is our responsibility that we stand shoulder to shoulder with the government, security forces and national institutions in their struggle to fight challenges facing Pakistan,” the statement read. “A peaceful struggle for the enforcement of shariah in the country is responsibility of every Muslim but bloodshed in the name of Islam can never be tolerated,” the statement said, adding that hundreds of thousands of civilians and armed forces personnel have already sacrificed their lives in the fight against terrorism. The PUC said that Pakistan was facing numerous challenges due to irresponsible steps taken by US and India in the region. “Pakistan is bearing the brunt of US military intervention in Afghanistan. It’s about time for Pakistan to quit coalition with US for the sake of development, progress and peace in Pakistan,” the statement said, adding that only a united struggle against terrorism and militancy can help Pakistan pull out of the ‘quagmire’ and move forward on the path of development. The PUC maintained that anti-state elements wanted to weaken Pakistan through dividing the nation on religious, sectarian and ethnic grounds. “We must discourage those forces who want to divide Pakistan to achieve their nefarious designs,” the statement concluded.
Published in Daily Times, January 25th 2018.
