Hiring of educated imams a 'western agenda': JUI-F

PESHAWAR - Terming it as a ‘western agenda’, Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) has rejected KP government's plan to hire educated clerics (pesh imams) in mosques in the province.

The provincial government was considering a proposal to appoint educated pesh imams in mosques across the province and pay them a monthly stipend.

He also claimed that after the 2013 elections his party had been offered a ‘huge amount of money’ in return for joining the PTI-led coalition government in K-P.

“The K-P government is implementing the Western agenda by proposing appointment of paid imams in mosques,” he alleged. “The Ulema of K-P will never accept salary from the government because they are not up for sale.”

The Maulana said Ulema were running Islamic seminaries and imparting education to students at their own expense. “They have limited resources. Nonetheless, they will never accept money from the government for the implementation of Western agenda.”