Head of an Islamic country alone can declare jihad: edict.

PESHAWAR -- Only the head of an Islamic country is entitled to declare jihad, and anyone involved in revolt against the state is required to be 'crushed' in light of the principles of Islam.

Amid a surge in terrorist attacks, the significant announcement came in form of an edict which was issued on Monday with signatures of Khyber PakhtunAkhwa's 16 religious scholars on it.

The clerics said that the head of the Islamic country will announce jihad since this is one of the basic components of the Islamic country.

'According to the teaching[s] of Islam, all the citizens of the Islamic country have to respect the law, and refusing to follow the Constitution [of the Islamic country] is prohibited according to the Shari'ah,' read the decree, a copy of which is available with Dawn.

Security personnel falling in fight against enemies of Muslim state are 'martyrs'; obeying head of state termed compulsory

Protection of an Islamic country is the responsibility of all its citizens. 'Since Pakistan is an Islamic State, there is no doubt that all, including the military and police deployed to defend the country, when killed in the battle against enemies, are martyrs,' the decree read.

The decree noted that a so-called religious scholar in Islamabad as well as some enemies and some anti-state elements have been issuing provocative and controversial statements.

'Obeying [the directions issued by the] head of the State is compulsory under the Islamic principles and those refusing to follow, is [rising in] revolt,' the decree read, adding 'it is compulsory for all the citizens to follow the head of the state and the Constitution'.

Anyone who took up arms against the state or the [Pakistani] armed forces would be considered an insurgent, it said, adding that such an act had been forbidden and anyone involved in revolt is required to be crushed in light of the principles of Islam.

According to the scholars, there is no doubt that the Western democracy...