Special Aide to Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has said that any content written without following the Pakistani values would not be allowed to publish in the country.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he said that for the past few days, baseless propaganda was going on regarding the Muttahida Ulema Board (MUB), and the uniform curriculum in the country.
He said that the government and ulema had been working for two-and-a-half years on the curriculum. “We have been trying to promote tolerance in the country,” he added.
Ashrafi said that extremism had decreased in the country and misuse of the blasphemy law had been checked strictly during the last three years.
He said that the MUB was looking into the religious material in books under a law, passed by the Punjab Assembly. It had gone through more than 150 books thus far, and sent those books back.
He alleged that an English newspaper did not care about the journalistic values while publishing content on the issue. “We suggested removing pictures of scientists and publishing pictures of women with scarves,” he said.
He said that a campaign had been launched about Malala Yousafzai two days ago and no one even asked ulema about the issue. “We did not even see that book,” he added.
Ashrafi said that the agenda to attack Islamic values would never be allowed to succeed. “I was the first to condemn the attack on Malala,” he said.
The PM’s aide said that no one should blame the MUB without the evidence. “Can you give any proof?” he asked.
He said that the purpose of the slanderous campaign was to target the Punjab government, the Assembly and the Punjab Textbook Board. “We have not received these books, nor have made any recommendations,” he clarified.
He said that the MUB gets a no-objection certificate (NOC) for translation and interpretation of even the holy Quran and the crackdown on the book was made not because of Malala, adding that the book was being published without an NOC.
The attack on Malala is condemnable. She is also the daughter of the nation, Ashrafi added.
He urged the media not to carry any content without getting version of all concerned.
He said that Madrasas had signed an agreement with the government to teach modern sciences to their students.
He said that falsehood was not freedom of expression. “We have suffered losses by standing with journalists,” he recalled.
Ashrafi said the whole nation should be careful during the Eid-ul-Azha days, and also stressed cleanliness while slaughtering sacrificial animals.
He said that one nation, one curriculum was a big dream, which was being materialised soon. He said it was an achievement of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, while the mafia wanted to keep the children unfamiliar with Pakistani values and personalities.
Ashrafi said that the nation agreed on who the heroes are, adding that no one could be declared a hero through the use of force.
