MIRPUR: Azad Jammu & Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan has emphasised that the Muslim Ummah must unite through conscious efforts by promoting harmony, tolerance and social integrity.
Islam, he said, is a universal religion that promotes peace, love for humanity and unity.
The president made these remarks while addressing the AJK National Coordination Council seminar organised by the CII, AJK on Monday. The president was the chief guest at the event while the AJK Supreme Court Honourable Chief Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Zia presided over the ceremony.
The president commended the AJK CII on organising this very important seminar aimed at promoting inter-sect harmony by uniting the scholars and ulema of various schools of thought. He added that we must focus on the similarities and not be obsessed with differences between various schools of thought practicing Islam in AJK and Pakistan.
The president emphasising the role of the religious leaders in promoting peace and tolerance in the society said that our leaders must set an example of respecting varied religious opinions and preach brotherhood and tolerance. He said Islam is a religion that promotes humanity and righteous virtues that we need to unconditionally imbibe in order to progress.
He said that AJK like Pakistan is a product of an ideology based on the teachings of Islam, where the people will be free to practice their religion without prejudice and discrimination. This ideology, he said, defines our national outlook and the very structure of our society.
The AJK president said that our salvation lies in following the teachings of the holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), adding the Prophet (PBUH) blessed us with a complete religion which encompasses all the aspects of our lives and that he is a guiding principle for all of humanity.
The president asserted the prominence of mosques and said that our mosques are not just a place of worship but a complete institution for collective social reforms. He said that our Ulema must use their influence to promote inter-sect and inter-faith harmony by shaping public opinion. He urged them to fight against the evils dividing our society on sectarian lines and make conscious efforts to bring our society closer.
Sardar Masood Khan said that we need to teach our children the lessons of humanity and tolerance and make these teachings a part of our academic syllabus. He said that the children of today are our future and we need to indoctrinate them with these values to ensure unity and progress of our nation.
The president informed the audience that by the Grace of Allah, AJK has no recorded sectarian violence. This he said was due to the efforts of the religious leaders who have always promoted inter-sect harmony.
He said that we need to work on researching and developing Islamic philosophy in collaboration with other Muslim nations. He said that Muslims all over the globe are facing political, social and sectarian hurdles, which can only be addressed if we fully imbibe the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) based on tolerance, love, patience and most important the respect for our fellow humans.
“We must promote our Islamic culture gifted to us by Allah Almighty and preach Islam in its true spirit. By promoting unity in our society, we can achieve economic prosperity and make Pakistan a sovereign and powerful nation,” Sardar Masood said.
He added that then only Pakistan will be able to effectively take up the Kashmir issue and resolve this long pending issue in accordance with the United Nation Security Council Resolutions.
Speaking on the abhorrent human rights situation in Indian-Held Kashmir, the president said that “our innocent brothers and sisters are being subjected to unimaginable torture”. He said that the Kashmiris in IHK are being mercilessly killed, maimed, illegally incarcerated and their women folk dishonoured with impunity.
He said that Hurriyat leaders are under constant surveillance and their political freedom like that of the people has been curtailed.
The president praised the efforts of CII both in Pakistan and AJK saying that they have acted as a rudder in ensuring we follow the ideology on which this nation is based.
A resolution was also unanimously passed by the participants to work in unison towards promoting religious and inter-sect harmony throughout the country. The resolution also strongly condemned the atrocities perpetrated by India in IHK and asked for the just and sustainable resolution to the conflict.
The event was also addressed by CII Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz, Honourable Chief Justice AJK Supreme Court Muhammad Ibrahim Zia, AJK CII Chairman Maulana Ubaidur Rahman Farooqi, AJK Mashaikh Council & Ulema Chairman Maulana Imtiaz Siddiqui and Kifayat Hussain Naqvi.
Published in Daily Times, May 2nd 2018.