Daily Times

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Chairman Ulema Council Pakistan Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Saturday stressed political and religious parties to be united and work for Charter of Pakistan.

‘All political and religious forces should sit together for economic and political stability in the country, suggested Maulana Tahir Ashrafi while addressing a news conference here today.

Maulana Tahir Ashrafi commented that if religious forces can join hands together under Paigham-e-Pakistan, why political parties can’t get united for economic survival of the country, he asserted.

He reminded that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had offered the same road map in the parliament four years ago as leader of the opposition.

Appointment of COAS is the constitutional right of the prime minister, Mr Ashrafi said and added that national security issues should not be discussed on social media.

He said that the country was passing through a very tough time and there was a dire need to eliminate extremism and of promotion of inter-faith harmony.

He said that anti-state elements wanted to create a rift between Pakistani nation and law enforcement institutions, adding that these were destined to fail.

“Polarization is not in the favour of Pakistan,” Mr Asharfi noted. He lambasted the PTI saying that it was not the right time for holding a long march but to help the 30 million vulnerable citizens of the country devastated by the natural calamity.

Mr Ashrafi commended banks for withdrawing petitions against interest and hoped that there should be a complete focus to create interest-free environment in the country.

He suggested a four-point agenda for the prosperity of the country which includes, the culmination of interest, rule of law, election reforms and 25 years political stable plan.

To a question, he said that the visit of Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman was on cards and hoped that Crown Prince would come to Pakistan soon and clarified that all the projects including the oil refinery would continue.

He said that Pakistan Ulema council had strongly condemned the assassination attempt on Imran Khan, the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif.