Top Pakistani clerics came to blows on Tuesday amid discussion on minority Ahmedis’ rights during a meeting of the Council for Islamic Ideology (CII).
Top Pakistani clerics came to blows on Tuesday amid discussion on minority Ahmedis’ rights during a meeting of the Council for Islamic Ideology (CII).
The meeting of the CII turned violent when chairman Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani and Maulana Tahir Ashrafi grabbed each other’s throats.
The participants of the meeting were discussing the status of Ahmedis under the Constitution when Maulana Ashrafi and Maulana Sherani entered into an argument that turned personal and violent.
As the two argued, Maulana Ashrafi lunged at Maulana Sherani and grabbed him by his collar as the latter called him “an alcoholic”. Participants in the meeting had to intervene to diffuse the situation.
Addressing the media after the scuffle, Maulana Ashrafi questioned, “The matter pertaining to Ahmedis is already present in the Constitution so why is he touching this topic again ”
“I thought the discussion was over but then he came up to me and grabbed me by the collar,” Maulana Ashrafi said.
Defending his stance, the Pakistan Ulema Council chairman said, “Regardless of any person being a non-Muslim, it is clearly stated in the Constitution and in Islam that violence against such persons will not be tolerated.” “Maulana Sherani has many questions to answer. He needs to explain why it is okay for him to grab someone by the collar as we observed today,” he added.
The CII is a constitutional body that advises the legislature whether or not a certain law is repugnant to Islam, in particular to the Quran and Sunna (Prophet Mohammed’s practice).
According to Maulana Ashrafi, the topic of Ahmedis was not on the agenda of the meeting; however, Maulana Sherani brought it up leading to a scuffle.
He said that Maulana Sherani is neither eligible for CII’s chairmanship nor membership of the National Assembly. He said he had asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to bring in those to run the affairs who know the religion. On the other hand, a statement issued by the council states that Maulana Tahir Ashrafi and Maulana Zahid Qasmi created a ruckus as the meeting began with the agenda.
