Daily Times

KARACHI: The federal government has launched an initiative to promote a new national narrative that rejects terrorism, extremism, sectarian hatred and use of force to impose Shariah, Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair said on Tuesday.

He was addressing the launch event of Paighan-e-Pakistan. “The narrative is meant for a peaceful Pakistan,” he said, adding that the idea of the new narrative is to strengthen Pakistani nation by better synching the governments at the centre and provincial levels with the aspirations of the peace-loving people of Pakistan.

“Pakistan is a functional democracy where every citizen is allowed live his life in peace. All religions are independent and allowed to celebrate their festivals,” Zubair stressed, adding that the nation had become extremely serious on the issue and would be successful in achieving its objectives through unity. “We need more tolerance. Never go for the violence and bloodshed because it is not the solution. Lack f tolerance causes disorder in the society.”

Zubair said that it was imperative that religious scholars, intellectuals and all institutions of the state must be watchful and apart from individual efforts, collective work with mutual harmony was needed to safeguard the nation against divisiveness.

“Islam is meant for peace, our religion has given very clear orders for respecting humanity.”

Addressing on the occasion, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that safeguarding of the national interest was essential, adding that hit gave him immense pride to be a part of ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ initiative which had been signed by over 1,800 religious scholars from different schools of thought.

“Sindh is the land of saints who always gave a lesson of love,” he said, adding that in the light of Islamic teachings “Paigham-e-Pakistan will be our shelter against terrorism and extremism.”

“Extremism has threatened our national security and solidarity. It is our pleasure that today we are unveiling a new national narrative with collective efforts of all religious scholars,” Shah said.

Mufti Munibur Rehman strongly condemned terrorism, sectarianism and extremism, praising all efforts to counter the menace. He called the national narrative a need of the hour, and said that it would play an important role in portraying a soft and positive image of Pakistan across the globe.

He claimed he was the first who gave a fatwa against suicide bombing and now the journey against terrorism was well on its way and ver soon the destination in the shape of a peaceful Pakistan will be reached.

Rehman said the roots of extremism and militancy lied in intolerance and in not appreciating different points of views, which fostered sectarianism by eliminating moderation.

Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly and Pakistan People’s Party leader Shehla Raza said that only educated women could ensure progress of society and the nation, adding that she felt proud to be a part of such a noble cause.

“Now we need to name and shame terrorists and disclose them in front of the nation,” Raza added

Higher Education Commission chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said that according to Islamic teachings, extremism, bloodshed and suicide-bombing were categorised as acts spreading evil on Earth (Fasaad-fil-Ard), which was categorically prohibited and unjustified.

“Terrorism has destroyed the economy and spread poverty and ignorance, so it is the responsibility of the scholars to stand against this malevolence,” he said.

Prof. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, the rector of International Islamic University Islamabad, said that Imam-e-Kaaba Dr Saleh Bin Mohammad Al Talib had also endorsed the fatwa, or a religious decree, condemning extremism and declaring suicide bombings un-Islamic.

Published in Daily Times, March 21^st 2018.