ISLAMABAD: The country’s politico-religious parties of the Deobandi school of thought, including two factions of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maulana Samiul Haq, decided on Tuesday to form a united group.

The decision was taken by leaders of the parties at a Deobandi conference convened by the relatively unknown Majlis Ahrar-i-Islam Pakistan group headed by Maulana Hafiz Ataul Momin Shah Bukhari.

The conference decided to form two committees to strengthen unity of different Deobandi groups.

One committee, the supreme council, will formulate policies for a collective struggle. It will be headed by Maulana Dr Abdul Razzaq Iskander, the head of Jamia Uloom-i-Islamia, Binori Town, Karachi.

The second committee will be responsible for implementing policies formulated by the supreme council. It will be headed by Maulana Hafiz Ataul Momin Shah Bukhari, son of renowned Deobandi cleric Ataullah Shah Bukhari.

Published in Dawn, November 19th , 2014