CII recommends enhanced punishment for religious decrees' misuse

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has urged the government to enhance punishments for those misusing their authority to issue religious fatwas.

The council had prepared a comprehensive document, Paigham-i-Pakistan, in January this year that had been acknowledged by senior scholars of the all four mainstream schools of thought in the country, the CII meeting, which was chaired by its chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz, said.

The landmark document from the religious body signed by 1829 religious scholars across the country, declared several actions as un-Islamic including suicide attacks, spreading sectarianism and anarchy in the name of religion etc.

Dr Ayaz said that to enforce recommendations of the CII is the responsibility of the government. He said, “we want severe punishments for those clerics who misuse their powers and issue decrees declaring a Muslim non-believer and pronounce him liable to be killed as per Sharia law.” He said all such decrees have been rejected by the CII.

The council suspended its agenda regarding triple talaq [divorce] in one sitting. The issue was on the agenda of the meeting and the CII will take up the matter in its next meeting.