Religious groups join hands over blasphemy law

	Wednesday, December 22, 2010, Muharram 16, 1432 A.H.
Karachi
Religious groups join hands over blasphemy law

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

By Shamim Bano
Karachi

In an unprecedented move, all religious parties belonging to different sects have joined hands against calls for the repeal of the blasphemy law, supporting the countrywide shutter-down strike call of the Tehreek-e-Namoos-e-Risalat on December 31.

During a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Paksitan, Jamat Ahle Sunnat and Shia leaders announced their multi-phase campaign against the proposed repeal of the blasphemy law.

On December 24, protests will be staged outside different mosques of the city after Friday prayers. On December 31, a shutter-down strike will be observed while a public rally will be taken out on January 9.

Religious groups have approached different political parties, including those sitting in the corridors of power, to support their drive.

They have appealed to transporters, industrialists and shopkeepers to shut their businesses to make the strike call a success and to “show the entire anti-Islamic world that any change in the law is not tolerable”.

The leaders also demanded immediate sacking of the Punjab governor and withdrawal of the bill presented in parliament by former information minister Sherry Rehman.

Those who spoke during the press conference included Qari Mohammed Usman of the JUI-F, Shabbir Abu Talib of the JUP, Mufti Mohammed Usman Yar Khan of the JUI-S, Nasrullah Shaji of the JI and Qazi Ahmed Noorani.

URL: www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21541&Cat=4

TNR moot announces countrywide strike on 31st

Thursday, December 16, 2010

TNR moot announces countrywide strike on 31st

Published December 16, 2010

ISLAMABAD – All Parties Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat (TNR) Conference on Wednesday unanimously announced to launch a nationwide strike on December 31 besides other schedule for launching a movement for what it termed protecting the sanctity of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).

JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is also heading the conference, announced this decision in the presence of three banned outfits’ leaders including Hafiz Saeed Ahmed of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Maulana Hafiz Ludhyanavi of Sapah-e-Sabaha and Allama Sajid Naqvi of Tehreek-e-Jafria Pakistan, who participated the APC.

Almi Majlis Tahafuz-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat organised the conference, which was attended by many religious leaders different schools of thoughts from all provinces and FATA along with politicians and people from different walks of life.

The participant at one time took the gathering as revival of Mutthahida Mjlis-e-Amal (MMA) when Qazi Hussain Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) said that he endorsed the recommendations of the conference from the platform of MMA. But at the end of the conference, JI Amir Syed Munawar Hassan, while ruling out any such possibility, said that the APC had announced its further agenda and if there is any development, it would also be announced.

Fazlur Rehman while announcing the nationwide movement said that all religious parties would hold a nationwide wheel-jam strike on December 31 while protests would be held at mosque levels all over the country on December 24. “A grand procession as well as protest will also be held in this regard on January 9 and a subsequent strategy would be announced after consultation with the Central Committee”, he added.

While talking on behalf of the participating parties, he reiterated his resolve that they are ready to render every sacrifice to protect the sanctity of the Prophets and would fight this war at every forum.

Maulana Fazl said that they would resist every effort if the new Bill was brought on the floor of the Parliament for bringing changes in the blasphemy laws. He said that the government should clear its position on the issue adding that international pressure was tantamount to meddling into the internal affairs of the country.

URL: www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-...-countrywide-strike-on-31st

Changes in blasphemy law

	Thursday, December 16, 2010, Muharram 09, 1432 A.H.
Changes in blasphemy law

Thursday, December 16, 2010
By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: An All Parties Conference (APC), held under the aegis of the Aalmi Majlis-e-Tahaffuz Khatam-e-Nabuwwat, held here on Wednesday gave a call for a countrywide shutterdown on December 31 against efforts to change the blasphemy law.

“The APC has categorically decided that any effort to repeal or weaken the blasphemy law will not be tolerated and Namoos-e-Risalat will be protected at all costs,” JUI-F Amir Maulana Fazlur Rehman said while addressing a press conference after chairing the APC.

Besides others, the APC was attended by ex-Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmad, PML-Q chief Senator Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Allama Sajid Naqvi and Abul Khair Zubair.Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Chaudhry Shujaat strongly condemned the moves to try to make the blasphemy laws controversial. “All such attempts will be foiled with full force,” they said.

The speakers warned the government and its parliamentarians to refrain from making efforts to review or repeal the blasphemy law or encouraging those involved in blasphemous acts. “The government cannot dare to table any bill to amend the blasphemy law,” they said.

Asked as to how they would oppose any amendment in the blasphemy law in parliament, Fazlur Rehman emphatically said that nobody could dare speak on this issue on the floors of the two houses. He asked the government to clarify its position on the blasphemy law or get ready for humiliation.

Announcing the protest programme, he said countrywide demonstrations would be organised after Friday prayers on December 24 and shutterdown would be observed on December 31. A big public meeting would be addressed by central leadership of the APC on January 09.

The All Parties Conference also constituted a committee, headed by Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan, to organise the movement all over the country. However, Fazlur Rehman said the future plan of action would be chalked out after consulting heads of all the religious parties. The committee would activate and organise moves from local to central levels.

Fazlur Rehman said in a country of 170 million people, every citizen enjoys freedom but the Western civilization had no place here. He called upon the traders’ community and shopkeepers to respond to the strike call with Islamic and national spirit. He declined to comment on the revival of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

INP adds: Maulana Fazlur Rehman said a big public meeting and protest demonstration would be held in Karachi on January 9, which will be attended by all the central leaders of the religious parties.

He said Dr Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair had been made chairman of Tehrik-e-Namoos-e-Risalat. The Tehrik will form sub-committees to organise the Tehrik at grassroot level. Fazl said they wanted to send a message to the world that the entire nation was united over the protection of “Namoos-e-Risalat”.

URL: www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=2696&Cat=13