President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday called upon the Ulema and Mashaikh of the country to play their role in bringing positive social change, discouraging extremism, terrorism, and sectarianism. The president, talking to a delegation of the Ulema Mashaikh Yakjehti Council of Pakistan (UMYC), that called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr, urged their role for inculcating ethical and moral values in society, promoting the conservation of resources, national solidarity, religious tolerance, and inter-faith harmony and peace. He urged Ulema to play their role to eliminate extremism, terrorism and sectarianism by highlighting the true teachings of Islam in the light of the Quran, Sunnah and Ahadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He said the challenges of terrorism and militancy in Pakistan required a comprehensive action plan, coupled with concerted efforts on the part of the Ulema in the areas of counter-extremism and counter-terrorism. President Alvi said that it was the responsibility of religious scholars to disseminate the true teachings of Islam among the people, especially youth, to bring in social reforms, and promote virtues, ethics, and morality in society. He said that Pakistan could achieve progress and its rightful place in the comity of nations through discipline, persistence, moral righteousness, and promoting social justice. The president said that Ulema should make concerted efforts to remove divisions from society, and should promote unity and solidarity within the country. He said that youth should be educated on tolerance, forgiveness, and peace as these were the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The president said that Islam emphasized the conservation of resources and avoiding wastage. The Ulema should also help promote moderate, responsible and sustainable consumption of resources, especially fuel and energy, through their Friday sermons in the mosques.