ISLAMABAD: Religious scholars from all schools of thought on Saturday issued a fatwa (religious decree) that declared suicide attacks, armed insurgency against a state and use of force in the name of imposing Shariah as ‘Haram’ or forbidden in Islam.

The fatwa carrying signatures of 31 noted scholars was released at a seminar “'Reconstruction of Pakistani society in the light of 'Mithaq-e-Madina' (Charter of Madina) and announcement of 'Paigham-e-Pakistan' (Message of Pakistan). The event was organised by the Islamic Research Institute of the International Islamic University Islamabad.

The unanimous declaration was presented by Professor Masoom Yasinzai while Mufti Rafi Usmani read out the fatwa. The religious edict condemned terrorism and extremism and declared suicide attackers and their supporters as traitors. It also declared Jihad a jurisdiction of Islamic state and disallowed use of force in name of enforcement of Islamic laws.

On the occasion, a unanimous decalartion titled 'Paigham-e-Pakistan', also signed by religious scholars from all schools of thought, was presented. Paigham-e-Pakistan called for action against the forces fanning extremism, true implementation of the law dealing with blasphemy and discouraging mob justice in this regard.

Rector IIU Professor Masoom Yasinzai, President IIU Ahmed Yousuf Darweish, Chairman Higher Education Commission Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, prominent religious scholars, including Mufti Rafi Usmani, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Maulana Hanif Jalandhari, Mufti Naeem Ahmed and others attended the seminar.

The decree fully backed the operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad.

The fatwa was signed, among others, by Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Mufti Rafi Usmani, Maulana Hanif Jalandhari, Mufti Muhammad Naeem, Maulana Abdul Razzak Sikandar, Allama Riaz Hussain Najafi, Maulana Muhammad Yasin Zafar, Maulana Ghulam Muhammad Sialvi, Maulana Zahid Mahmood QasmiMufti Mahmoodul Hassan Mahmood and Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani.