Religious parties say building temple in Islamabad against Pakistan’s ideology

Will take up matter in the Federal Shariat Court

ISLAMABAD - A few religious factions on Wednesday denounced the government’s move of building temple in Islamabad and termed it against Pakistan’s ideology.

The religious parties also announced that they would take up the issue in the Federal Shariat Court.

In a joint press conference in Islamabad, leaders of different religious parties said that building a temple on the taxes of Muslims can’t be tolerated in Pakiatan.

While addressing the media the Chief of Jamiat Ulema e Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Islamabad chapter Maulana Abdul Hameed Hazarvi said that they were going to raise the issue in the Shariat Court.

He stated that the incumbent government has lost its way as they had spent billions on Kartarpur Corridor and now they were going to build a temple in the capital city of the country.

Meanwhile, the leader of Central Jamiat Ahlihadees Kashif Chudhry said that building of a temple was nothing more than playing with the feelings of 220 million people of the country.

He stated that building a new temple in Islamabad was beyond thinking as there was already a temple built in Said Pur Village near Islamabad.

On the occasion, Maulana Tanvir Alvi said that all the sects of Islam were agreed upon a point that no temple or church can be built in a Muslim country.

Although he said that the old and existing temples and churches can be repaired when needed.

Hafiz Maqsood Ahmad on the occasion said that Islam didn’t oppose or ignore the rights of minorities but such move is against the ideology of Pakistan. He claimed that one can find out such precedents in the history of Islam.

The religious leaders concluded that the government should have reached consensus with the Islamic Ideology Council and other religious scholars on the issue of building temple in Islamabad.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Imran Khan has earlier approved grants of Rs100 million for the building of temple in Islamabad.

Back in 2017 the PML-N government had allotted almost 20,000 square feet land for the temple but the construction was delayed due to administrative issues.

The writer is member of staff and can be reached at @8mansoor_ali

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