National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Wednesday urged political parties to promote peace and tolerance in society as it was indispensable to economic progress and development of the country. He said that our religion Islam stressed upon propagation of peace in the world. The beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him) had been the symbol of peace for all mankind, he added. He expressed these views in his message on International Day of Peace, which is observed across the world today under the theme “End racism. Build peace”. The speaker said that Pakistan being an advocate of peace had also been at the forefront to strengthen peace in the region, especially in Afghanistan where it played a significant role in the Afghan Peace Process and supported the evacuation of different nationals during the Afghan withdrawal. The speaker underscored the importance of living together with affection, empathy, and brotherhood irrespective of color, class, or religion. He reiterated Pakistan’s strong commitment to strengthening peace and stability by playing a positive role in the region.