Don’t look for Sharia in democracy: Sufi Mohammad
May 4th, 2009 - 6:14 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, May 4 (IANS) The Sharia and democracy are incompatible, says radical cleric Sufi Muhammad who brokered a controversial peace deal in Pakistan’s restive northwest and has pledged to spread the Islamic law across the country.
In an interview to Geo TV, Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad said there was great difference between democracy and Sharia.
“Many (Pakistani) religious leaders, including Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maulana Samiul Haq, are trying to find Sharia in democracy which is wrong,” he added.
The system of the Quran and Shariah is known as Shariat-e-Mohammadi and “we will continue our struggle for its implementation”, the cleric maintained.
Sufi Mohammad had brokered the Feb 16 peace accord with the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) government for imposing Sharia laws in Swat and six other districts of the province’s Malakand division in return for the Taliban laying down their arms.
The Taliban, however, reneged on the deal soon after it came into force April 15, leaving their Swat headquarters and occupying the Buner district in the south that is just 100 km from Islamabad.
The security forces moved into action April 26, initially in Lower Dir to Swat’s northwest and then in Buner. Over 150 Taliban fighters have so far been killed in the operations.
On Sunday, the cleric had rejected as “unilateral” the NWFP’s decision to establish Darul Qaza’s or Islamic appellate courts in the Malakand division, saying he had not been consulted on this.
Also on Sunday, the Swat Taliban said the peace accord was “practically stands dissolved” in view of the military action against the Taliban.
- Only provincial government can appoint Sharia judges: Minister - May 04, 2009
- Radical cleric's son killed in shelling in Pakistan - May 07, 2009
- Pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Muhammad arrested in Pakistan (Lead) - Jul 26, 2009
- Islamist leader to talk with Taliban over peace in Swat - Feb 17, 2009
- Sufi Mohammad's Taliban links being probed - Jul 28, 2009
- Islamist leader reaches Swat for talks with Taliban (Lead) - Feb 17, 2009
- Trial of 3,000 militants begin Aug 1 in Pakistan - Jun 09, 2010
- Taliban says Swat accord 'dissolved' - May 04, 2009
- Radical cleric Sufi Muhammad's deputy killed in rescue bid (Lead) - Jun 06, 2009
- Radical cleric Sufi Muhammad's deputy killed in escape bid - Jun 06, 2009
- 500,000 to be moved from Swat ahead of military action: Minister (Lead) - May 05, 2009
- Islamabad talks to religious group to disarm Taliban - Apr 26, 2009
- Pakistan's fight against Taliban displaces 30,000 people - Apr 28, 2009
- Taliban cleric vows to impose sharia across Pakistan - Apr 19, 2009
- Taliban begin leaving Buner, Pakistani Army prepares for action (Roundup) - Apr 24, 2009
Tags: appellate courts, frontier province, geo tv, haq, islamabad, islamic law, malakand division, military action, north west frontier, nwfp, peace accord, peace deal, qaza, radical cleric, rehman, religious leaders, restive northwest, sharia laws, shariah, taliban fighters
