The News -- 22 April 1999

Ulema support Altaf on Muttahida Ulema Council

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Ulema of various school of thoughts on Wednesday agreed with Altaf Hussain's suggestion for the formation of Muttahida Ulema Council to promote religious harmony and peace in the society particularly in the holy month of Muharram.

A large number of selected ulema of different school of thoughts were gathered at the Khursheed Begum Memorial Hall in Azizabad on the the invitation of the Coordination Committee of MQM, where they were addressed by the self exiled MQM Chief Altaf Hussain from London on telephone. MQM Senators, MNAs, MPAs and office bearers were also present.

Altaf Hussain urged the ulema to play their positive role more effectively to maintain sectarian peace, promote brotherhood and tranquility and to foil the evil designs of the vested interests who are bent upon to bring brother against brother. Quoting Qura'anic verses and Ahadis, Altaf said that killing some one on the basis of religion, sect and belief was the worst kind of oppression and Muslims should not indulge in such brutal acts.

He said, "MQM does not believe on discrimination on the grounds of sects and always tried to promote religious and sectarian harmony and peace." He said that by bringing ulema of different sects on one platform, the MQM coordination committee had done a great job and served a noble cause.

Ulema, including Maulana Irshadul Haq Thanvi, Allama Abbas Kumaili, Prof Mahmood Hussain Siddiqi, Maulana Shah Feroz Rehamani, Allama Ali Karar Naqvi, Maulana Asif Qasmi, Maulana Naeemi and others, paid great tribute to the MQM chief and lauded the party's efforts for the promotion of religious and sectarian peace.

A resolution, presented by Dr Farooq Sattar and adopted unanimously by the gathering, called for religious tolerance, complete sectarian and factional harmony and stressed the supreme need to firmly discourage and even punish those elements who wanted to destroy the religious harmony, understanding and feelings of goodwill.

PHOTOGRAPHS