Grand Mufti calls for talks, not war, to resolve Indo-Pak issues

Kanthapuram AP Abubacker Musliyar, who recently took over as the Grand Mufti of Sunni Muslims of India, on Friday called for resolving the issues between India and Pakistan through effective negotiations.

At a civic reception given to him, the Grand Mufti said said that a war between the two neighbours might turn out to be an all-destructive nuclear war. He condemned the infiltration of Pakistan-based terrorists into India.

The Musliyar pointed out that the status of guest of honour given to India at the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) at its meeting of foreign ministers in Abu Dhabi was a significant gesture by the organisation. He urged the OIC to accord the full-member status to India as India was home to the second largest Muslim population in the world.

He urged the Central and State governments to take the views of the respective scholars and community leaders while making laws concerning the minorities in the country. He pointed out that the term `fatwa' was greatly misunderstood in India (a fatwa is an opinion given by an authorised mufti on a religious practice or belief, in accordance with the Islamic jurisprudence and conventions, to an individual, an organisation or the government; the fatwa, however, is non-binding.)

A large number of politicians, including Excize Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan, Pradeepkumar MLA and Mayor Thottathil Raveendran as well as religious and cultural leaders from other States attended the civic reception.