LAHORE: Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi has announced that the national flag will be hoisted on mosques and seminaries from Aug 1 to 30, while Kashmir Exploitation Day will be observed on Aug 5 across the country.

He was speaking at a press conference here on Sunday.

He said that the country should not be weakened in the name of politics and demanded action against those who launched a campaign against the Pakistan armed forces and its chief.

Expressing his support for Azm-i-Istehkam Pakistan drive, he said the country direly needed unity, determination and stability.

He said the National Counter-Terrorism Authority needs to improve its information for there are 30,000 registered seminaries in the country and not 15,000 as claimed by it, and if any of it is found involved in terrorism, it would be locked down by Ulema themselves.

He urged the government to reconsider the issue of independent power producers (IPPs) as even payment of electricity bills of seminaries and mosques has become extremely difficult. He demanded a 50 per cent discount in the electricity bills for seminaries or withdrawal of taxes in their bills.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2024