A Lone Voice of Truth: Scholar Challenges Army Chief at Islamabad Conference
Islamic Scholars and Religious Leaders Conference held at the Islamabad Convention Centre a few days ago. Whether we should have attended this conference or not is a separate debate, but what I saw and heard there must be shared honestly.
After a long wait, the Army Chief Syed Asim Munir and the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who were the chief guests of the event, arrived. It is not appropriate to prolong the discussion about who appeared to be the master and who appeared to be the servant, so I will avoid that topic.
The Army Chief began his speech by talking about the performance of the Pakistan Armed Forces. This created excitement in the hall. Slogans were raised, and everyone responded enthusiastically. He then spoke about tensions with Afghanistan and the country’s internal law and order situation.
However, the tone of the speech became disturbing when the discussion suddenly shifted toward religious seminaries (madrasas). One criticism after another was directed at them. Sectarianism, chaos, and internal problems were presented as if madrasas were their main cause.
Repeated references were also made to the issue of keeping trousers above or below the ankles. The apparent message was that religion is not limited to outward appearances, which is true in principle. However, the way it was said gave the impression that these practices had little or no religious importance, even though they are well-known religious symbols.
After this, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke and largely repeated the same points.
During the event, the slogan-chanting by clerics seated at the front had become excessive. It was clear that even the Army Chief and the Prime Minister were getting irritated. They openly requested the audience to let them complete their speeches and chant slogans later, but the flatterers paid little attention.
After the speeches, a session of comments began. We hoped that someone knowledgeable and sincere might offer constructive criticism. Unfortunately, everyone continued the same flattering approach. No one dared to criticize. Instead, people pledged loyalty to the Army Chief and offered praise rather than reform.
Then came the question-and-answer session, but the questions were predictable, and the people asking them were clearly selected and approved in advance.
At this point, Maulana Waliullah Tauhidi from Kohistan, a scholar associated with the Deobandi school of thought, stood up. He repeatedly asked for the microphone, but it was being given only to selected individuals, so he was ignored.
Finally, he raised his voice loudly, drawing the attention of the Army Chief, the Prime Minister, and the entire hall.
Addressing the Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir with great courage, he said:
“Please reform yourself. Keeping trousers above the ankles is a Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Repeatedly mentioning it in this manner and treating it lightly is a clear religious violation.”
He further said:
“You criticized madrasas, but most economic corruption and financial crimes in Pakistan have been committed by university graduates. What steps have you taken to address that?
And if you speak about introducing modern education in madrasas, then tell us what efforts you have made to promote Quranic teachings in universities.”
As soon as he finished, the entire hall erupted in applause. The clapping did not stop. The Army Chief repeatedly sought forgiveness and tried to clarify by saying, “That was not my intention, I did not mean that, I do not criticize religion,” but his voice was drowned out by applause and slogans.
Seeing the situation, the Field Marshal and his security clearly realized that more direct and difficult questions would follow. As a result, such a large conference of scholars was ended abruptly without even a closing prayer.
When we stepped outside, there was a strange sense of satisfaction in our hearts. It felt that our presence there was not in vain, and at least one person had spoken the truth at the right place.
After the sudden end of the conference, another notable scene appeared outside the hall. Scholars, religious leaders, and participants from different schools of thought had gathered around Maulana Waliullah Tauhidi. Everyone was praising his courage, expressing admiration, and taking selfies with him.
For More Updates Visit: NewsNeck
