For the purpose of accelerating the Afghan peace and reconciliation process, a conference will bring together clerics from Afghanistan and Pakistan in Kabul. The exact date of conference is not yet known but it will be held in the first week of March, if the Ullama from both sides can finalize the issues that will be covered in the conference.

On Monday, a delegation of from Afghanistan Ullama Council met with a group of Pakistani Ullamas to discuss issues pertaining to the upcoming conference. Nonetheless, based on the media reports, the participants of the 10-hour meeting could not reach an agreement on the conditions put forward by Pakistani side.

The two conditions from Pakistani side are: first, the Taliban must participate in the conference and second, the Ullama would not issue any kind of fetwa (religious decree) against Taliban and they would announce their favor for the Afghan government.

Since long the Ullama of both the countries are expected to issue a fetwa to formally declare suicide attack as an anti-Islamic act and haram. The issue of issuing such a fetwa was expected to come under discussion in the Pak-Afghan Ullama conference. In addition, the Ullama were anticipated to call upon insurgent groups, especially the Taliban, to renounce practicing violence that is clearly against codes of Islam. However, the conditions set by Pakistani Ullamas seem to be totally opposite to such expectations.

The role of clerics has always been ‘vital’ in an Islamic society. They are the ones who have the responsibility to show the right path to the masses of a society. The kind of conflict Afghanistan is facing has roots in Islamic extremism and therefore, clerics can play their part in countering growing extremism in Islamic countries, especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Even if the upcoming Ullama conference requests the insurgents to stop shedding blood of the innocent people, there are doubts they will do so. Groups like Taliban know nothing except chopping hands, cutting throats, carrying out bomb attacks and executing men, women and even children for minor mistakes. They have been involved in assassination of religious figures and it seems hard they would obey the instructions of Ullama councils of Afghanistan or Pakistan.

An effort to bring Ullama from Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2011 under the banner of ‘Peace Jirga’ in Kabul did not succeed. The upcoming conference is, however, a positive step and Ullamas of both countries must finalize issues by keeping in view their responsibilities towards Muslims living in Afghanistan and Pakistan. .

Such conferences are important to express clear religious views about terror attacks in which civilians lose their lives. Peace is counted as a basic human right and Afghans too have the right to live in a peaceful and secure environment. For peace to prevail in Afghanistan people from all walks of life, including the clerics, have to contribute in making that possible.