Muhammad Jafar, convener of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s Muslim Personal Law Awareness Campaign, while addressing the Orientation Programme for Muslim Journalists, said the role of media in this campaign is very important because media is capable of giving positive or negative direction to an issue. In media, the only issue of triple talaq is being debated, painting a bad image of Islam and the Muslims, which is contrary to the ground realities. He also questioned as to why all those pretending sympathy for and talking in favour of Muslim women today do nothing for the Muslim women victims of riots or widows of soldiers struggling in their life.
Maulana Rafeeq Ahmad Qasmi, Secretary for Islami Muashira of JIH, questioned as to what the government is trying to do. Is it trying to abolish the system of Talaq itself or triple talaq? Even if it is abolished then also an individual will give one talaq and he may not reconcile while considering it not to have said this despicable word three times. It is ironical that a democratic government is citing the example of the dictator government on this issue.
Qasim Syed, Editor-in-Chief of Urdu daily Roznama Khabrein said that along with all other efforts to make people aware of personal laws it is also important to contact and talk to all women who are fighting talaq cases in courts.
Wasiq Nadeem, In-charge Public Relations at JIH, while replying to a question, said that we should not fall in the negativity that is being spread by people having Islamophobia. Talaq or Triple Talaq is an issue; there is no doubt about it. But at the same time, there is positivity in our personal laws regarding inheritance and maintenance which we should try to put forward in order to convince the masses at large. It is important for us to change the narrative of the debate instead of falling in the trap which is enforced upon us time and again to paint it in a different perspective.
Qamar Ashraf of The Statesman reminded that at times the question may arise about the differences within some sects and we should be prepared enough to deal with such questions by having a convincing reply that can satisfy the doubts, if any. During the media interactive session, suggestion was also made to distribute the latest special issue of Radiance on Muslim Personal Law because of its rich material and contents.
Towards the end, a few video clips were shown by Arshad Shaikh, Media In-Charge of JIH where people were asked to become part of the Muslim Personal Law Awareness Campaign during 23 April to 7 May 2017.