Pakistani ulemas meet Qureshi over Qadiani issue

Islamabad, Oct 13 (IANS) Amid growing resentment, a delegation of ulemas, led by Maulana Muhammad Hanif Jalandhari, met Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, here on Saturday, and expressed concern over the United Nations Human Rights Council's (UNHRC) move to discuss the Qadiani (Ahmadi Muslims) issue.

The delegation, comprising members of all schools of thought, demanded that Qadianis' efforts to defame Pakistan in the UN must be countered at the government level, according to Pakistani media report.

"Qadianis were declared non-Muslims in 1974 in Pakistan after differences over some fundamental issues related to Islam. But since then the issues of human rights have been making headlines", the delegation told Qureshi.

The International Human Rights Organisation had again put up the case of Qadianis at the UNHRC and that it had accepted that for discussion, it added.

Maulana Jalandhari told Qureshi the people of Pakistan were worried about the issue and warned the government of grave consequences if the case was not properly handled.

He said Qadianis were continuously lobbying against Pakistan at the international fora.

Qureshi assured the delegation of the government's full cooperation on the issue.