Paying no heed to the protest of some clerics against Rs 10,000 monthly stipends for Pesh Imams of Jamia Mosques, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Wednesday defended the decision to this effect and held it in line with Shariat. Addressing a reception arranged by Jumaat Eshhat Al-Touheed Wal Sunna on the eve of Khatmul Quran here at Manki Sharif, the Chief Minister said that the KP cabinet has recently approved the monthly stipends for the qualified Pesh Imams of the province.
He claimed this his government initiated practical steps for the promotion of Islamic values and traditions and provided proper patronage to the institutions involved in providing religious education. The government was providing salary from the provincial kitty to the teachers of the Maktab schools. The clerics who enlightened us with the religious education and other principles of religion Islam, how they could be kept outside the domain of government's assistance, he asked.
He maintained that giving monthly honoraria to the Ulema-e-Karam, spreading knowledge of religion Islam deserved government's assistance.