Chandigarh, July 17
For the socio-economic uplift of the community, Muslims of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh here today formed the United Progressive Muslims Front.
The front will act as a pressure group for getting policies and programmes approved at the government level for the welfare of the community. The front will be an apolitical body. However, there will be no restriction on its constituents taking part in any political activity at the individual level.
Maulvi Shakeel Ahmed Qasmi, who was elected chairman of the front, said that the first important objective of the front would be to improve the lot of the madrasas by introducing subjects such as social sciences and pure
sciences. Only religious education was not enough. Muslim students should be adequately educated for getting jobs. He said computer education was a must for Muslim students and it should be provided by madrasas.
"The Muslim community has enough money but there is a need for properly utilising it for the welfare of the community", he added.
Maulvi Shakeel Qasmi said Mr Khaiza Khalil-Ullah had been appointed president of the Himachal Pradesh wing of the front and Dr Mohammad Zameel Bali the head of the Punjab unit. Mr Ahmed Ali would head the Chandigarh unit and Mr Ali Mohammad the Haryana unit.
He said the front would urge the political parties to give the community its due share while nominating candidates for the Assembly elections in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. He said the Muslims had considerable presence in Malerkotla, Ludhiana, Ropar, Jalandhar, Amritsar and other parts of Punjab. However, they were given representation in only one Assembly seat (Malerkotla). In coming Assembly elections, the front would urge the political parties to nominate Muslim candidates from Ludhiana and other cities of Punjab. " We will struggle to protect the economic and religious rights of the community in this region", said Maulvi Shakeel Qasmi.
He said those involved in the Mumbai blasts should be dealt with an iron
hand. There was no place in Islam for those involved in the killing of innocent persons. He said Islam did not allow the killing of any human being. " It is considered a great sin to kill someone in Islam", he added.
Mr Arshad Khan, who was made the spokesman of the front, said though the front was all for improving relations with Pakistan, it would have to stop the funding of terrorist organisations. He said Indian Muslims were as loyal to the country as any other community in India. " We condemn Pakistan for allowing terrorists to spread violence", he added. "We are for soft borders between India and Pakistan without compromising the security of India", he added.
