No story here. All 500 'scholars' which basically means followers and not academics belong to a small extremist group called Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat so this is hardly a surprising statement and barely a worrying figure out of a population of 170 million! They are hijacking the funeral of Salman Taseer in the same way the extremist Westboro Baptist Church hijacked the funerals of Elizabeth Edwards, Michael Jackson and US soldiers killed in action, thay want publicity for their extremist views and of course the western media are happy to provide it.
The paper is just trying to stir up anti-muslim resentment as support for the Afghanistan war continues to fall, hopefully americans won't fall for it. You didn't see the papers write '100s of Christians picket the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards' instead they correctly wrote it was picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church which gives the reader some scope. However in this story instead or just writing the small extremist group Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat has applauded the death of liberal politician Salman Taseer they write 'More than 500 Muslim scholars are praising the man suspected of killing a Pakistani governor' not even mentioning the fact they all belong to a small extremist group so the reader thinks the scope is much wider. Imagine asking 500 KKK members what they thought of Barack Obama becoming president and you'll get the findings of 500 white christians want Obama dead and would urge others to join in their quest. ps There were plenty of mourners at the funeral of Salman Taseer so read the story from a better news source like the BBC below and not some right wing BS that wants wants to keep the american people scared and angry and maintain support for a losing war.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12116764
