Srinagar, Jan 19: Supreme Court of Islamic Shariat on Thursday issued a decree seeking expulsion of five Christian priests from Jammu and Kashmir for their alleged involvement in conversions in the Valley.
 The Deputy Mufti-Azam Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Muhammad Nasir-ul-Islam read the decree while addressing a press conference in the City.
 “Pastor CM Khanna and his accomplices Ghayoor Messiah, Chanderkanta Chandra and Jim Bhorst had been involved in unethical activities. The verdict was given after lot of deliberations and thorough investigation. It was found that they were involved in such unethical activities. The records of their involvement are with the court and their expulsion from the state is an apt judgment,” Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said.
 “State Government should not compensate the convicts at any case as they have played with the faith of Kashmiris. State Government should, at no point, give them a chance as they have done the biggest of the crimes,” he said.
 Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, however, maintained that the decree was not against the Christians in any way. “The three priests had been attracting local youth to conversions through monetary allurement. The decree has been issued to preserve harmony between followers of different faiths in the Valley,” he said.
 Asking State Government to monitor the activities of the local missionary schools, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said a subject regarding the teachings of Islam be included in the curriculum of schools. 
 “The missionary schools should introduce a subject or a class which ensures to provide the religious knowledge to the Muslim wards studying there. A body should be framed to monitor the functioning of the schools,” Mufti Nasir-ur-Islam said, adding prayers written by famous poet Dr Muhammad Iqbal should also be recited at school morning assemblies. 
 The Court denied the allegations that some of the academicians from the Valley were involved in apostasy.
 “The allegations that Professor Naseem Rafiabadi, Advocate Abdul Rashid Hanjoora and Bashir Ahmad Baba were involved in apostasy are baseless. We couldn’t find any fact of their involvement,” Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said.
 “There are some non-governmental organizations working in the Valley which are luring people to apostasy in the garb of assistance. Such NGOs must be banned in the Valley,” he said.
 The Court thanked Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ahl-i-Hadith, Muslim Wakf Board, Ithad-e-Milat, Itehadul Muslimeen, Anjuman-e-Shar-e-Shiaan and some other institutions including Dara-ul-ulooms for their support in investigations in the case.
 The Court had conducted a trial after a video clip showed Khanna allegedly baptising seven Muslim youth at a church here last year. Following a public outcry, the pastor was arrested by police and is currently out on bail.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 IST