LAKKI MARWAT: Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-iIslam Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that government is using antiterrorism laws against religious scholars.

Addressing Mufti Mehmood Conference here on Sunday, hesaid that religious seminaries were being linked with terrorism. The clerics and religious students were the victims of anti-terrorism laws, he added.

The JUI-F chief said that seminaries, mosques, beard and turban had become the symbols of terrorism. He said that seminaries were the forts of Islam where students were imparted the education ofQuran and Sunnah.

Mr Rehman asked the government to refrain from taking action against religious institutions. He said that his party would not tolerate action against ulema and religious institutions in the name of eliminating terrorism from the country.

The JUI-F chief said that since the creation of the country, itseconomy, politics and democratic system were under the dominance of the United States and western powers.

`They have made us to live like their slaves and implement what they dictate,` he added.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind general secretary Maulana Mehmood Asad Madni, JUI-F central general secretary Maulana Abdul GhafoorHaidri, Federal Minister for Housing Akram Durrani and Mufti Shahabuddin Populzai also spoke on the occasion.

Mr Rehman said that Mufti Mehmood and religious scholars of Deoband waged jihad against British rulers in the last century and thousands of ulema laid down their lives to get freedom. `Now the religious leaders and clerics will lead the struggle to free Pakistan from the influence of Uncle Sam and infidel powers,` he added.

The JUI-F chief said that besides the economy, establishment and bureaucracy of the country were also their assets and they would also free those from the US influence.

Without naming PTI chairman Imran Khan, he alleged that under a conspiracy obscenity and vulgarity were being spreadin the country.

`The revelations I had made few years back about links of PTI chief with Jewish lobbies have been proved now as one of the founding member of his party has said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has received funds from Indian and Jewish lobbies to further their agenda,` he added.

Mr Rehman said that Imran Khan introduced the culture of abusing and levelling baseless allegations against his rivals besides destroying the character of young generations.

The JUI-F chief said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project would not only bring prosperity to the southern region but it would also bring economic development in the entire Asia.