Pak clerics issue fatwa for Jehad if India attacks

A group of clerics and religious scholars have issued a fatwa or edict that says 'Jehad' will be obligatory for every Pakistani citizen in the event of any attack on the country by India.

The fatwa was announced at a conference organised by the Tahaffuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Mahaz at Jamia Naeemia seminary in Lahore yesterday. The meeting, chaired by Federal Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, was arranged to discuss Pakistan's security concerns in the face of "Indian war threats".

Besides declaring that jehad would be obligatory for all Pakistanis in case of an attack by India, a communiqu issued by the clerics said the Pakistan government should end its support to the US war on terror on the western border in case of hostilities with India.

The conference demanded that Pakistan should "shrug off the Indian pressure and adopt a courageous and independent stance befitting a sovereign state".

The clerics called on the government to "unveil the Indian conspiracies hatched against Pakistan before the world".

The communiqu said the clerics and scholars reaffirmed the "belief that the basic purpose of Pakistan's nuclear capability was to ensure the security of the country against any foreign aggression."

Pakistan valued its nuclear scientists, particularly A Q Khan, the communiqu said. Besides the nuclear capability and defence preparations, the security of any country depended on its internal stability, it stated.

Jamia Naeemia's principal Sarfraz Naeemi said the TNRM will organise a rally in Lahore on January 14 to condemn the "anti-Muslim and aggressive policies" of Israel and India.

Besides Federal Minister Qadri, the conference was attended by leaders of political parties like the Pakistan People's Party, PML-N, PML-Q, Tehrik-e-Insaf, Sunni Tehrik, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan and Jamaat Ahle Sunnat.

Meanwhile, the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami has warned the Pakistan government about "India's hegemonic designs in the region with the support of Western powers."

The Jamaat also said India would "suffer dearly in case of any misadventure". "If India committed any aggression, it will not only suffer huge losses but also be responsible for the use of lethal nuclear weapons in the region," said a resolution passed by the Jamaat-e-Islami 'shoora' or council yesterday.

The resolution described the Mumbai attacks as "a 9/11-like international conspiracy through which the Indian and US rulers wanted to achieve their designs in the region."

It accused India's ruling Congress party of "resorting to inhuman and undemocratic tactics by creating fanaticism in Hindu-majority areas for the sake of winning elections."
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The resolution expressed concern at the Pakistan government's "apologetic attitude and foreign policy" in the face of the aggressive designs of the "enemies."

The resolution added that "complete harmony" is needed between the Pakistan Army and the people for countering threats to the country. The resolution also condemned the banning of "patriotic welfare organisations" like the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, Al-Rasheed Trust, Al-Ameen Trust and Al-Akhtar Trust.