Pak Madrassa Association up in arms against govt. over vilification campaign

Karachi, Jan.19 (ANI): Raising strong objections to aspersions regarding madrassas' involvement in terror activities in the country and imparting terror education, Pakistan's madrassa association has announced its intention of launching an awareness campaign against the negative propaganda aimed at maligning the image of the Islamic seminaries.

The governing body of Deobandi madrassas have also demanded that the government form an impartial committee to launch an investigation of terrorist incidents in the country, especially those happening in Karachi.

During a joint press conference with other top leaders here, Wafaqul Madaris General Secretary Maulana Haneef Jalandhari said that the administrators of different madrassas would launch an awareness programmed to inform the masses about the actual role of seminaries in the Pakistani society and the dangers that the country is facing due to the interference of foreign forces.

"We invite the masses and government officials to visit seminaries and see for themselves what is going on there," The Daily Times quoted Jalandhari, as saying.

He pointed fingers towards the foreign media for maligning the image of madrassas, and lamented that the government too was acting on their propaganda.

"After raiding seminaries in the NWFP, now the government is planning to target madrassas in southern Punjab, which would not be accepted and there would be retaliation against any unjust action," Jalandhari added. (ANI)