Pakistan: Ulema oppose witch-hunt on pretext of riots

Religious scholars on Sunday asked the government not to make the May 9 riots as an excuse for political witch-hunt and harassment of political opponents.

Jamiat Ahle Hadith leaders including chairman Allama Abdul Qadeer Khamoosh, Abdul Ghafar Salfi and Allama Abdul Khaliq Faridi also rejected the proposed 50 per cent hike in gas prices and urged the government to solve problems being faced by the masses.

Condemning the government for forcing political leaders to switch loyalties, they said the rulers were only talking about the May 9 incidents instead of paying attention to the real problems such as price hike, unemployment and poverty. They had been left to fend for themselves.