Pakistani ulema urged to stop issuing Afghan jihad fitwas

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The Nangarhar hajj and religious affairs director on Thursday asked Pakistani clerics to stop issuing fitawas for jihad in Afghanistan.

The Pakistani ulema have recently again issued a fitwa declaring jihad (holy war) in Afghanistan as legitimate and have called anti-government activities in Pakistan as unlawful.

Mualvi Abdul Zahir Haqqani, the hajj and religious affairs director for eastern Nangarhar province, on Thursday told a huge gathering of religious scholars in Jalalabad that their role in legitimizing the government was crucial.

He said the Pakistani ulema issued fitwa of jihad in Afghanistan at the behest of the country’s intelligence agency

He urged the Afghan ulema to support their government and the Afghan forces because in their absence, it would be hard to worship in mosques.

Other speakers held similar views and announced their complete support for the Afghan security forces and urged their Pakistani counterparts to avoid issuing jihad fitwas in Afghanistan.

sa/ma