The head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) has severely criticized Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stating that his endorsement of the new Gaza peace deal is “tantamount to rubbing salt on the wounds of the oppressed Palestinian people,” and he declared recent domestic legislation to be contrary to Islamic principles.
These strong statements were made by Dr. Sahibzada Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair during the annual Urs ceremony of the great spiritual personalities Hazrat Al-Shah Khawaja Muhammad Ruknuddin Alwari (RA) and Hazrat Al-Shah Mufti Muhammad Mahmood Alwari (RA). The event was attended by a large number of religious scholars, political figures, and social dignitaries from across the country.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Zubair, who is also the president of the Milli Yakjehti Council, termed Trump’s peace board a “deal of unrest.” He maintained that entrusting the security of Gaza to those responsible for its turmoil is a grave joke. He urged Muslim rulers to move beyond “mere lip service” and take united, practical steps to support the people of Gaza.
The religious leader further clarified that the issue of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) is not limited to Palestine but is an issue for the entire Muslim world, the defense of which is the collective responsibility of all Muslim states.
Turning to domestic affairs, Dr. Zubair strongly opposed several laws, stating that Islamic injunctions are being replaced by anti-Islamic legislation. He specifically cited laws related to the rights of women and transgender people, as well as legislation criminalizing the marriage of children under the age of eighteen, and declared them “completely contrary to the Quran and Hadith.”
He attributed the widespread unrest and corruption in the country to a departure from religious teachings. Dr. Zubair announced, “Pakistan was created in the name of Islam, therefore, only the system of Mustafa (Nizam-e-Mustafa) will be implemented in this country,” and he reiterated JUP’s commitment to transforming the nation into a true Islamic welfare state.
Other speakers at the event expressed similar sentiments. Sahibzada Syed Safdar Shah Gilani, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Noorani), warned of conspiracies to weaken Islamic values through legislation like the transgender bill and the ban on marriage under 18, and pledged that his party would never accept them.
Dr. Sahibzada Muhammad Uzair Mahmood Al-Azhari, a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology Pakistan, shed light on the spiritual significance of sending blessings (Darood and Salam) upon the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He highlighted the revolutionary impact of the saints (Auliya-e-Karam) who turned non-believers into believers and believers into possessors of deep spiritual insight.
Sahibzada Faiz Mahmood Al-Azhari said that the saints of Allah (Auliya Allah) spread religious teachings beyond sectarian divides, which attracted people from all backgrounds to their gatherings.
The event was attended by several prominent figures, including European preacher Allama Abdul Ghafoor Alwari, JUP Punjab President Hafiz Naseer Ahmed Noorani, former federal minister Sardar Asif Nakai, and others. The ceremony concluded with a prayer led by Mian Jaleel Ahmed Sharqpuri, with special supplications made for the Muslims of Pakistan, Kashmir, and Palestine.