[Dawn] Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that concrete evidence of Indian interference in Pakistan has been provided to the Foreign Office which will take it up at an appropriate forum.| Still taking photos to demonstrate a certain lack of circumcision amongst the perpetrators? Such an embarrassing idee fixe (yes, I know the accent is missing -- I don't know how to make the computer do that), when even I know that the tribals don't do such a thing to their boys. (Thanks for explaining that a few weeks ago, john frum!) |
| "See how avidly we photograph men's pee-pees." |
| More accurately, perhaps, returning from Afghanistan where they'd been taken for staging some time ago. |
| But is it terrorism if it's aimed against Christians, or Jews, or unbelievers? How are believers defined? Because the taqfiris claim all who do not believe exactly as they do are unbelievers, too. Including the ulema which declared their actions haram. A ticklish point, you must admit, and the kind a good journalist would raise at this juncture. |
"I have been given the task to meet ulema and will hold similar meetings in Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta," Mr Malik added.
He said an international conference of religious scholars would also be held.
In reply to a question, he said a national anti-terror command and a think-tank had been set up three months ago and an anti-terrorism policy was being prepared.
He said three biometric checkpoints had been set up on the border with Afghanistan.
In reply to a question, he said detained US suspect David Headley was born in Pakistan but had left the country in his childhood and was educated in US. If he had committed an unlawful act, action should be taken against him under US laws, he said. If he had any contacts in Pakistan, the government should be informed and it was prepared to extend full cooperation to the United States, he said.
Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah also attended the meeting with ulema.
Mufti Muneebur Rehman, chief of the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, said the meeting had condemned terrorism and suicide attacks, terming them against Islam and Pakistan.
According to a declaration, the ulema suggested that heirs of martyrs should be taken care of and arrangements made for rehabilitation of people affected by terrorism. The armed forces were assured that the entire nation was behind them in their efforts for ensuring security of the country.
Mufti Muneeb said all ulema had pledged to maintain law and order during Muharram and keep vigil on terrorists and extremist elements.
The chief minister also presided over a meeting that reviewed arrangements for Muharram.
| According to Wikipedia: Muharram (Arabic: محرم) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited. Muharram is so called because it was unlawful to fight during this month; the word is derived from the word ‘haramÂ’ meaning forbidden. It is held to be the most sacred of all the months, excluding Ramadan. So of course there will be no jihadi violence during this period. |