One says it comes from a failure on the part of clerics: in other words, Islam is peaceful and tolerant, but is, as always, beset by misunderstanders. Another denies that there is any intolerance at all: in other words, Islam is peaceful and tolerant, but is, as always, beset by Islamophobes. Nobody seems to have been willing to face up to the reality of the intolerance and discrimination mandated by the Sharia laws relating to the dhimma. “Muslim, Christian leaders brainstorm about intolerance,” from The Nation (Pakistan), with thanks to Twostellas:
LAHORE, JAN 26 (THE NATION) – Muslim and religious leaders came together at a seminar on Thursday to deliberate about the causes and remedies of contemporary religious intolerance in Pakistan. Some of them admitted that it showed the failure of the religious clerics in country while one of the speakers dismissed the whole issue by claiming there was no religious intolerance.
The seminar was organised by Commission for Peace and Human Development at Durab Patel Hall, Aiwan-e-Jamhoor and New Garden Town. Archbishop Lawrence J Saldanha of Lahore was the chief guest while Khateeb Badshahi Mosque Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad chaired the seminar. President Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadith Pakistan Hafiz Zubair Ahmad Zaheer, General Secretary Majlis-e-Ulema-e-Pakistan Maulana Maqbool ur Rehman Ansari, scholar Safdar Hassan Siddiqui, Principal St Anthony’s College Cecil Chaudhry, Rt Rev Samuel Azariah and IA Rehman shared their views. In the end a resolution was passed condemning those engaged in spreading hatred in the society. It urged government to end the discriminatory laws and delete the portions in the syllabus that create hatred against different communities.
Zaheer maintained there was no intolerance in Pakistan. “Miscreants are there in every country and they should be taken to task. This is the age of science and development and we should move forward and create goodwill and love in the society,” he said. He was of the view that religious leaders of both communities should play an active role in creating harmony in the society.
Saldanha said Pakistan has become a Fascist state.”Religion and state are one and that is creating waves of intolerance. Blasphemy and Hudood laws are example. “In the education sector the syllabus contains many things which spread hatred against Christians and Hindus. How can you expect these kids to be tolerant when they grow up? Christian and Hindu communities are not given time on TV, which is sad as this step could have helped to create better understanding among different communities,” he said.