Prominent religious scholars, spiritual leaders and representatives of all schools of thought on Saturday unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to the Paigham-e-Pakistan Code of Conduct and pledged full cooperation with the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee (NPAC) to ensure the maintenance of peace, law and order during Muharram-ul-Haram across the country.
The pledge was made during an Inter-Sect Harmony and Peace Seminar organized by the Provincial Paigham-e-Aman Committee Punjab, in collaboration with the Pakistan Ulema Council Gujranwala, following an appeal by the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee.
The seminar focused on promoting inter-sect harmony, religious tolerance, national unity and coordinated efforts to maintain peace during the sacred month of Muharram-ul-Haram.
Addressing the gathering, Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council and Prime Minister’s Coordinator for the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, along with Maulana Qazi Zia Mohsin Awan, Haji Muhammad Yousaf Khokhar, Allama Kazim Turabi, Maulana Zubair Khattana, Allama Khalid Hassan Mujaddidi, Hafiz Maqbool Ahmad, Mufti Kamran Hazravi, Maulana Usman Butt, Qazi Azmatullah, Qari Arshad Mahmood Safdar and other leading scholars and spiritual leaders, said Muharram-ul-Haram conveys the universal values of unity, patience, sacrifice, tolerance and mutual respect.
The speakers stressed that followers of all schools of thought should play their due role in strengthening national cohesion and fostering brotherhood.
They described the Islamabad Declaration as a significant step towards promoting inter-sect harmony, religious tolerance and global peace, emphasizing that the guiding principle, “Remain steadfast in your own school of thought, but do not provoke or insult the beliefs of others,” provides a strong foundation for building a peaceful, united and stable society.
Speaking on the occasion, Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said Jammu and Kashmir remains an integral issue for Pakistan and urged the people of Kashmir to honour the sanctity of Muharram-ul-Haram by ending their sit-in and resolving issues through dialogue and negotiations.
He said Muharram reminds Muslims that despite differences of opinion, unity on national and religious matters remains essential, particularly at a time when hostile forces continue to conspire to spread sectarian hatred, violence and instability in Pakistan.
Ashrafi said such conspiracies would continue to fail because of the unity of the Pakistani nation, the responsible leadership of religious scholars and the vigilance of state institutions.
He said all schools of thought are strictly implementing the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee’s Code of Conduct and are working closely with the federal and provincial governments to ensure comprehensive security arrangements throughout Muharram-ul-Haram.
Calling upon the public to remain vigilant, he urged citizens to immediately report any suspicious activities or security concerns to the relevant authorities.
Expressing concern over the misuse of social media, Ashrafi warned that anti-state elements were attempting to spread sectarian hatred, misinformation and inflammatory content through digital platforms.
He urged the public, particularly young people, to refrain from sharing unverified news, provocative videos, audio recordings or sectarian posts, and instead report such material to law enforcement agencies for legal action.
Ashrafi said Muharram commemorates the supreme sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and the martyrs of Karbala, whose legacy symbolizes steadfastness against oppression, injustice and tyranny.
He said attempts by hostile elements to sow division within the Muslim Ummah represent a continuation of destructive forces that can only be countered by promoting Imam Hussain’s (RA) message of patience, justice, truthfulness and sacrifice.
Referring to past extremist narratives, Ashrafi said some misguided elements had wrongly attempted to justify the killing of innocent people in the name of Jihad, whereas the true concept of Jihad is based on the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and exemplified in the historic events of Badr, Khaybar and Karbala.
He emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace, compassion, tolerance and respect for human life, and has no association with terrorism or extremism.
The participants also commended Pakistan’s efforts in promoting regional peace and stability, particularly its diplomatic role in facilitating the recent peace agreement between Iran and the United States, describing it as a significant achievement for Pakistan’s diplomacy.
The seminar concluded with a renewed pledge to work closely with the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and state institutions to maintain peace during Muharram-ul-Haram and to continue promoting interfaith and inter-sect harmony, national unity and social cohesion across Pakistan.