Islamabad sit-in: Religious scholars meet today to clear the air

ISLAMABAD: With religious parties defiant to call off their sit-in at Faizabad Interchange until sacking of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal will chair today a meeting of religious scholars to find a negotiated solution to the protest that has kept the capital on tenterhooks.

Religious scholars of all schools of thought will attend the meeting being convened today in Islamabad to discuss situation arising from the sit-in.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior, final consultation would be held with religious scholars to cope with the situation.

The meeting will also evolve a course of action to keep the nation united over Khatm-e-Nabuwwat issue.

The Interior Minister has urged the religious parties protesting in Islamabad to obey the law of land and call off their sit-in as the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat declaration has been restored to its original form.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Iqbal reiterated that the protesters have no justification to remain camped out at Faizabad Interchange after restoration of 7B and 7C sections of Elections Amendment Bill 2017 pertaining to finality of Prophethood (Khatm-e-Nabuwwat).

He made an appeal to the protesters to call off sit-in peacefully since a negative impression has been emerging from the protest over the finality of Prophethood across the world.

“The entire nation, as Muslims, believes in Khatm-e-Nabuwwat and the government will make no compromise on the matter”, Iqbal clarified.

He said it is settled forever for Pakistan that a person who did not believe in the finality of Prophethood lacked a legal right to call himself a ‘Muslim’ and all political parties unanimously passed the law in this regard.

He deplored an impression of government compromised on the finality of Prophethood.  “This impression is being ingrained into the public mind purposefully to provoke their sentiments,” the interior minister added.