LAHORE (National Times) Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) chief Allama Tahir Ashrafi on Sunday extended his full support to Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, calling for going ahead with the plan to root out extremism and terrorism from Pakistan.
Ashrafi stressed the need for unity and consensus to fight the scourge of terrorism and implementing the National Action Plan (NAP) in its letter and spirit, as condemned the extremism-related incident in Swat, Jaranwala and Sargodha.
Expressing his views at a press conference, Ashrafi said the US House of Representatives had insulted the Pakistani people’s mandate by passing the resolution – a move through which a probe into the February 8 elections was demanded.
Neither the United States nor any other country had a right to interfere in Pakistan’s internal affairs, he said and questioned why those in Washington were unable to see the atrocities committed against the Palestinians.
Ashrafi also blasted the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) – the party now representing the PTI members elected to the assemblies after contesting elections as independents – over opposing the resolution passed by National Assembly against the US House of Representatives.
Recalling the slogan of “absolutely not” repeated by the PTI, he questioned how and why they opted to tear the document on the floor of the House and remarked they had every right to ask about the affiliation of the party.
“Absolutely not” as a slogan was coined by the PTI after claiming that the US had removed the Imran Khan government for his refusal to accept its demands. However, the party since then decided to hire lobbyists in the US to garner support among the influential circles.
When it comes to extremism, the PUC chief also noted that the constitution had guaranteed equal rights to all the minorities in Pakistan, including following their religious rituals and celebrating sacred events.
Killing them and attacking, torching or grabbing their assets and properties was a sinful act as well as a violation of the constitution, he said and added that imposing one’s ideology on others by using of force and spreading hate were un-Islamic.
