A clerics convention on the protection of madrassas declared on Tuesday that suicide bombings were un-Islamic and must not be encouraged. A declaration made at the convention organised by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) NWFP, accused “secret forces” of plotting suicide attacks against Muslims. Nearly 2,000 clerics from across Pakistan participated in the convention. The declaration said that movements like the ones started in Malakand and Khyber Agency and in some parts of the country in the past were initially peaceful, but later turned to militancy and violence because the activists took the law in their hands.It said that a dangerous situation was developing following an announcement by Islamabad’s Lal Masjid administration that they would enforce Sharia. They said that the Lal Masjid administration was trying to exploit people’s sentiments. They demanded that the government resolve the issue through talks and avoid the use of force. However, the clerics unanimously declared that no person should challenge the writ of the law.
NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani said no madrassa in the province and the tribal areas was involved in terrorism, adding that some “secret forces” were creating law and order problems to bring a bad name to the provincial government.
AFP adds: The clerics convention also opposed enforcement of Sharia by force. They also declared illegal and un-Islamic threats to hairdressers against shaving off beards and attacks on video shops in the name of curbing obscenity in the NWFP.
Looks like the big turbans can smell a shitstorm on the way and they're reaching for umbrellas.