ISLAMABAD: Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry said Ulema cannot be trusted in the execution of serious and sober affairs of the country, as most of them were against the creation of Pakistan.
He said the future journey for the homeland will be decided by the young minds who will take the country forward with the knowledge of modern technology. In Twitter messages, the minister said a new committee of experts has been established which would determine the moon-sighting for key dates and months in the Islamic calendar for the next 10 years.
The committee will consist of science and technology experts from SUPARCO (Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission) and MET Office, Chaudhry wrote on Twitter.
The committee will prepare an Islamic calendar of important dates and months for the next 10 years, including Ramazan, Eid, and Muharram, which will put an end to the moon-sighting controversies that arise every year, the minister added.
Meanwhile, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chief Mufti Munibur Rehman strongly disagreed with Chaudhry and said that the minister is ‘unaware of religious matters’.
“Fawad Chaudhry is unaware of the system. He doesn’t even know that the committee meets at Suparco. I have previously appealed to the premier to let only minister concerned speak on religious issues. The science and technology minister doesn’t understand the sensitivity of the issue. He shouldn’t have a licence to speak on it,” he said.
Mufti Munib said history bears witness to immense sacrifices made by Ulema during the freedom movement, adding that it is not appropriate to cite the role of a few Ulema only to criticise others.
