No religious extremism in Pakistan, claims Fazl

QUETTA: Chief of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Thursday claimed there is no religious extremism in the country.

Addressing the Mufti Mahmood Conference here, he said state forces have played their role in eradicating terrorism from the country.

He, however, said if the JUI-F, religious figures and seminaries had not cooperated, then the country would not have been rid of the menace of terrorism.

"Seminaries and clerics are only subjected to criticism; their role is not acknowledged." the JUI-F chief lamented. "You should give credit to them and acknowledge their role."

"We demonstrated maturity by not letting our youth be provoked. We showed them the path of moderation and they thought of their country, its future and held its peace dear to them," he said.

"We saved institutions of the state," Fazl added.

He said they considered government grants a poison for religious education.

"A khateeb (prayer leader) of a mosque would continue to suffer from poverty, but would not compromise his honour," the JUI-F chief said.

He went on to say that political parties being formed in the country with beautiful slogans are actually "agents of the West".

"Their vulgarity has taken to streets now," Fazl said, adding: "But we won't allow the Constitution of Pakistan to become a secular constitution."