ISLAMABAD: A small group of Islamic political parties yesterday announced that suicide bombings were not permitted under Islam, a declaration likely to please the government.
The group declared suicide as “Haram” (illegitimate or unlawful) according to Islamic tenets. In Lahore yesterday, Muttaheda Ulema Council (MUC) said in its unanimous fatwa (decree) that suicide attacks in Pakistan are unlawful.
The MUC meeting was attended by the Ulema from Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat, Ahl-e-Tashee, Ahl-e-Hadees, and the Deobandi and Barelvi schools of thought.
“We, the religious scholars, believe that the suicide bombings in Pakistan are illegitimate. Islam does not allow it,” said Sarfraz Naeemi, the group leader said.
Naeemi also called on the government to halt its military operations in the border region while a fact-finding mission of religious scholars visited there.
Meanwhile, Pakistani police are questioning a 20-year-old American citizen who was arrested close to the Afghan border, officials said yesterday.
The bearded youth was arrested late Monday at a checkpoint in the frontier region, the scene of months of fighting between militants and security forces and considered a possible hiding place for Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and other foreign extremists.
Police officer Marjan Khan said the youth was wearing traditional Pakistani clothes and was carrying a laptop computer and a travel bag.
