LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq has lamented that the Muslim world is caught in a downward spiral with majority of its rulers acting as puppets of the imperialistic forces.

Addressing a conference of the JI workers at Mansoora here on Saturday, he said the rich resources of the Muslim world were under occupation of the international powers which led to the widespread poverty and illiteracy in Islamic countries.

“Enemies of Islam have shattered the socio-cultural and politico-economic fabrics of Muslim Ummah with conspiracies and they are constantly pushing their agenda through their agents.”

To confront these challenges, he said, Muslims should create unity among their ranks by pushing aside their minor mutual differences.

He said Kashmir and Palestine were the burning issues of Muslim world and there was a need to hold an urgent meeting of the OIC to devise a solid strategy for the freedom of the occupied land from India and Israel.

The JI head further said the Muslim world should be given veto power in the UNO. He paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the people of Palestine and Kashmir for freedom saying JI was standing shoulder to shoulder with them in their struggle.

Meanwhile, the Milli Yakjehti Council has held the government responsible for the controversy on Tahaffuz-i-Bunyad-i-Islam Bill, stating the rulers have played a dangerous game to create differences among the followers of different schools of Islamic thought.

At a meeting of the MYC, a conglomerate of different religious parties, was held at Mansoora on Saturday which was presided over by Jamaat-i-Islami deputy Emir Liaqat Baloch.

A consensus was developed among the leaders that Islamic scholars should play an active role to promote religious harmony in the country to counter the designs of the secular lobbies.

The MYC also formed a committee for the purpose besides it emphasised on the government to immediately call a meeting of the Ahle Sunnat and Shia scholars to develop a consensus on different clauses of the bill.

It also condemned silence of the international community on gross human rights abuses in India-held Kashmir. It welcomed the government step to honour Hurriat leader Syed Ali Gilani with Nishan-i-Pakistan.

Expressing concern over the UAE decision to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel, the MYC called for the need of an emergency session of the OIC to push the Gulf country to review its decision.

It said that no Islamic country should backstab the Palestinian Muslims and Ummah’s united cause to free Qibla-e-Awal from Zionist regime. It also decided to mark Aug 16 as Palestine Day.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2020