Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman and Coordinator of the National Paigham-e-Pakistan Peace Committee Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi has said that elements seeking to create unrest and instability in the country were acting against national interests, stressing that dialogue remained the only viable way to resolve political disputes.
Addressing a seminar titled “Fazail-e-Syedna Usman Ghani (RA)” organized by the Pakistan Ulema Council at the Lahore Press Club, here on Sunday, Ashrafi said Pakistan had demonstrated its strength and capabilities before the world. He regretted that while political parties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir were engaged in negotiations, some groups were opting for violence instead of pursuing the path of dialogue.
Religious scholars including Maulana Asim Makhdoom and Ramzan Sialvi and others attended the gathering.
Ashrafi said that whenever Muslims gained strength and unity, hostile forces resorted to baseless propaganda and disinformation campaigns. He said history showed that internal conflict and bloodshed among Muslims often served the interests of their enemies. He said that the state of Pakistan possessed the capability to confront both Fitna Al-Khawarij and hostile external threats. Referring to the situation in Kashmir, he urged all stakeholders to come to the negotiating table and resolve their differences peacefully. “If any group believes its position enjoys public support, it should seek a mandate through elections and pursue change through constitutional and parliamentary means,” he said, adding that creating disorder and violence would only harm national unity and the Kashmir cause.
Ashrafi said the National Paigham-e-Pakistan Peace Committee was maintaining contacts across all provinces and districts to promote harmony and stability. He expressed concern over incidents of violence and stressed that despite disagreements, dialogue would ultimately remain the only solution.