KARACHI - Religious leaders are divided what the veil-observing Muslim women residing in France should do after the French government banning full-face hijab. A few say while the courts should be approached to have the ban set aside, Muslim women should abide by the French law in the meantime, and their failure to wear hijab or niqab in such situation would not amount to violating Islamic injunctions. Some ulema opine that the women should continue observing veil irrespective of the consequences they may have to face, while some others insist Muslim women should leave France having been deprived of the right to lead lives according to the faith. All, however, condemned in strongest terms the French governments decision, saying it was against the fundamental human rights. Talking to TheNation, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, head Jamia Naeemia and chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, said imposing ban on veils was ideological terrorism and blatant violation of fundamental human rights. He said it manifested hatred and revulsion, already being expressed against Muslims in Europe and America; now on the rise. When asked about the options available to the Muslim women in France, he said they should lodge peaceful protests against this brutal act of the French government and take the matter to European courts. Asked if the Muslim countries have any responsibility in this regard, Mufti Muneeb replied in the affirmative. However, he regretted that Muslims have become senseless and insensitive to the religion. MNA Sahibzada Fazal Karim and head of Jamia Rizvia Mazhar-e-Islam, Faisalabad, termed the veil ban violation of fundamental human rights and even UN resolutions that guarantee every person the right to practice religion. In his opinion, France has not only violated the UN resolutions but also the teachings of Jesus (AS), who ordered womenfolk to observe hijab. Why dont the governments of France and the UK impose ban on nuns and mothers who are wearing scarves, he asked. He said that the message of Islam is fast spreading in Europe, America and other western countries, thats why theyre scared of it and promulgating such laws to harass the Muslim community. To a question about the role of Muslim countries on the issue, he said that the rulers of Muslim countries, including Pakistan, are the slave of anti-Islamic forces. Head of Rukun-ul-Islam Jamia Mujadidya and JUP central leader Sahibzada Dr Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair termed the ban on hijab violation of human rights and said French rulers have let loose tyranny against the Muslim community. He said it was the responsibility of the Muslim countries to lodge a protest against the ban on Islamic practices and traditions, but deplorably they have become the slaves of the Jews and the Christians. Principal (Mohtamim) of Jamia-e-Binoria SITE, a renowned religious seminary, Mufti Naeem said that imposition of the ban on hijab has shown hypocrisy and double standards of the West. On the one hand the West proclaims to be the champion of human right where every person can live by his/her choice, but on the other, it has imposed ban on hijab, which is the fundamental right of every Muslim woman. The West called the Muslims as fundamentalist but the practice showed that the West itself is fundamentalist, he argued. Answering a question, Mufti Naeem said the Muslim women should continue to observe hijab come what may as it is an Islamic injunction. To a question, he quoted a Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), which says that the Muslims should migrate from those countries where following the teachings of Islam becomes difficult. It is a matter of Islamic practice and customs, he said. He said the Muslim world should boycott the products of France, call back their ambassadors and sever their diplomatic relations. It is not a small issue. Today they have banned hijab, tomorrow they will ask the Muslim women to follow 'liberal dress code. Sindh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Asadullah Bhutto said the ban on hijab in France manifested the conflict of civilizations and intolerance which was fast spreading in European countries. He said the West had conceived the World Order as a model project through which they wanted to impose western culture on everybody. Multiculturalism is turning into a uniculturalism, he said. He said when in the west a person can be allowed to live naked, why others cannot be allowed to observe hijab. The destruction of mosque minarets in Switzerland, grant of political asylum to anti-Islam elements in the UK and similar other incidents reflect their anti-Islamic mindset, said the JI leader.