Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi

:: Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, head of the All Pakistan Ulema Council (council of Islamic clerics and scholars), condemned the UN annual report on the armed conflict in Yemen, terming it as “misleading and lacking credibility.”

Ashrafi clarified in a statement released today by the council in Lahore that the information and statistics contained in the UN report are inaccurate and that the report not only disregarded the role played by the Arab coalition to support the legitimacy in Yemen, but also disregarded information presented by the legitimate government of Yemen.

“Apparently, the report has relied on a one-sided source — the Houthi militants — turning a blind eye to the disasters they caused, killing hundreds of children and displacing hundreds of families,” said Ashrafi.

He expressed serious reservations, indicating that such a report aims to promote terrorist organizations in Yemen, increase the obstacles facing the Yemeni people, and increase the threats to the Kingdom, and thus to the Islamic nation.

Speaking to Arab News, Farid Paracha, deputy chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan’s largest religious party also slammed the UN report calling it “baseless documentation.” He supported the statement of Ashrafi and said UN’s one-angle approach is not objective and the full report should be made public for scrutiny.

“It’s highly irresponsible of the UN to have a subjective approach on a fact-finding mission and blacklist the Saudi-led coalition without merit, basing its decision without taking all viewpoints in perspective.”

“Atrocities are committed in several countries which UN observes but lacks the courage to intervene to resolve situations, but is quick to pass judgment and blacklist a coalition that supports peace initiatives.”