Wilayati pays tributes to Qazi Husain

Lahore: Qazi Hussain Ahmed was the greatest champion of the Muslim unity  and had rendered memorable services for removing the misunderstandings and differences among different Islamic sects and schools of thought, former Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Wilayati, said at a meeting with the senior leaders of the Jamaat e Islami, at Mansoora.

Wilayati, who was leading a seven member Iranian delegation that visited the JI headquarters on Thursday to express its condolences with the JI leadership, said that the Iranian nation considered Qazi Hussain Ahmed as one of their own leaders and fully shared the grief of the Pakistani nation and the bereaved family on this great loss.

Naib Ameer, JI, Ch. Muhammad Aslam Saleemi, JI Secretary General, Liaqat Baloch,  Qazi Sahib’s eldest son, Asif Luqman Qazi, were present.

The delegation included the Iranian Ambassador Ali Raza Haqiqiyan, Iranian Consul General, Dr Abbas Famoori, and Muhammad Husain Bani Asadi.

Paying tributes to the former JI Ameer, Ali Akbar Wilayati said that Qazi Husain Ahmed was a true successor of the JI founder, Maulana Syed Abul Ala Maudoodi. He said he had about 25 years association with Qazi Sahib who had been working for harmony among all the religions of the world and the unity of the Muslim countries.

He said, when the Soviet Union attacked Afghanistan, Qazi Husain Ahmed was the first to raised his voice against it. He said he had last met Qazi Sahib at the Islamic Bedari Conference in Tehran at which Qazi Sahib had called for rising above the internal  differences and misgivings of the Ummah through dialogue, and stressed that the Muslim Ummah should gather at one platform.

Speaking on the occasion, Liaqat Baloch said that Iran was a respectable member of the Muslim world, and Iran and Pakistan had ties spread over centuries. The Iranian and the Pakistani nations were linked together through the Islamic brotherhood and also shared the grief of one another. He said, at the time of Iranian revolution led by Imam Khomeini, certain elements in this country tried to create misunderstanding about this revolution. However, Qazi Husain Ahmed countered the move forcefully, and adopted a clear and categorical stance in regard to the Iranian revolution.

Ch. Muhammad Aslam Saleemi and Hafiz Muhammad Idrees also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, a 22 member delegation of the Pakistan Christian  Party led by its chairman, Bishop Yaqub Paul, called on the Jamaat e Islami, Secretary General, Liaqat Baloch, at Mansoora to offer their condolences over the sad demise of former JI Ameer, Qazi Husain Ahmed and Prof. Ghafoor Ahmed.

Speaking on the occasion, Bishop Yaqub Paul said that the entire Pakistani nation was grieved over the death of Qazi Husain Ahmed who also commanded respect among the minorities. He lauded the services of Qazi Husain Ahmed and Prof. Ghafoor Ahemd for the nation and the country.

Bishop Paul further said that the JI was an organized, disciplined party which was committed to the welfare and wellbeing of the nation. He said the Christian community would stand shoulder go shoulder with every party that worked in the national interest and it could support others for every great cause.

The Christian leader pointed out that liquor was prohibited in Christianity as well , and both the Muslims and the Christianity should struggle to stop its consumption in the country. He lamented that liquor permits were issued in the names of Christians but added that if the liquor factories were closed, drinking would automatically end.

Liaqat Baloch thanked the delegation for its sentiments for Qazi Husain Ahmed and said that Qazi Sahib had struggled for the minorities rights.