Religious scholars declare vote compulsory

Religious scholars Thursday issued a ‘fatwa’ or decree, declaring casting vote compulsory for the people, two senior leaders said.

Chairman of Pakistani ‘ulema’ Council, Allama Tahir Ashrafi said that the decree was issued after consultations among the religious leaders and at a seminar in Islamabad.

He said scholars from all school of thoughts endorsed the decree, which will encourage the people to cast vote in favour of good people.

The decree says that the system could be changed through vote.

To a question about the women’s voting rights, Allama Ashrafi said the decree favors voting right to the women like men. However, the decree says that women officials should be deployed at the women polling stations.

Ashrafi asked the people to cast vote in the elections and use the right in favor of good candidates and if there is no good candidate then the people can choose less bad person.

The religious decree is important at a time when electioneering is going-on in Pakistan as Taliban and few other militant groups oppose the election system.

Ashraf said that there are thousands of religious seminaries associated with the Pakistan ‘ulema’ Council, who have endorsed the decree.

The decree is considered important in view of the upcoming elections and could help increase turn-out on the May 11 election day.

Meanwhile, another religious leader, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, also said that vote is obligatory for the people as they could send good people to the parliament.

Sami-ul-Haq, chife of Jamiat ulema-e-Islam talking to reporters said he does not agree with the Taliban stand that voting is un-Islamic.

He said this approach will block the entry into parliament of Islamic-minded people and only secular elements will enter the assemblies.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Apr 25 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.