Mansoor Hallaj remembered

LARKANA, March 27: Speakers at a conference held in the auditorium of a local school on Saturday stressed the need for curbing the menace of extremism through the philosophy of Sufism of Mansoor Hallaj. Organised by the International Sufi Foundation (ISF), the conference was presided over by Dr Sagar Abro, who paid tribute to Mansoor Hallaj for throwing a challenge to the politico-religious establishment in Iraq and launching a pro-people struggle. Rulers and religious leaders of the day could not tolerate the bold view of Hallaj and using religion as a tool they declared him a non-believer and a heretic and hanged him. Since his martyrdom, Hallaj has become an icon of struggle and symbol of sacrifice. He has become a reference in the studies of literature, political struggle and social awareness. His message based on Sufism which advocates peace, tolerance and accommodation. Rights activ ists Irfana Malah and Amar Sindhu, writers Dr Preh Sakina Gaad and Haalar Leghari and labour leader and writer Khalid Chandio also spoke on the occasion. The conference was followed by a concert in which sufi singers Faqeer Abdul Ghani Bhatti and Manjhi Faqeer took part.