LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said it is the responsibility of clerics to help the state in curbing terrorism.
Nawaz was addressing a seminar at Jamia Naeemia, a seminary considered close to the Sharifs.
“In Pakistan and in the world, hate is being spread in the name of Islam,” he said. “It is the responsibility of religious scholars to free the name of Islam from terrorists.” Nawaz also claimed that his government had brought the political leadership, the army and police together, and that the Pakistan’s fight against terrorism had brought peace in the country.
“However, terror incidents continue to happen sporadically. We need religious leaders to come together and help the state eliminate terrorism in this final battle,” he added.
Speaking about the chaos spread by what he termed incorrect interpretation of Islam, he urged the clerics to disseminate the “real narrative of peace” through religious seminaries and reject the narratives that preach secular hate and the “distorted concept” of jihad.
“Religious scholars in the past disagreed with each other, but they never incited hatred in their followers’ hearts regarding other sects,” Sharif added. “We need to ask ourselves if our religious institutions are producing faithful believers or the flag-bearers for different sects. We need to ask if the country is being united or divided in the name of religion,” the PM said.
“The ulema have the mosque’s pulpit as their forum, from where they can be heard all over Pakistan.”
“It is still the most effective way of reaching out to the people of the country. You can spread the message of unity from here and shut the doors of terrorism in the country,” he pleaded.
The prime minister also touched upon the rise of intolerance on the basis of ethnicity and provincial division, stressing that clerics should preach tolerance.
“Once again, the Muslim League has to fight the case for Pakistan’s unity,” Sharif said. “In this journey, we need your help. You should refrain from speaking about the differences between religious sects and stand against provincial and regional differences,” he said.
Separately, Nawaz expressed his firm resolve to provide people an effective, efficient and public-friendly police force equipped with state-of-the-art technology to face modern day challenges.
He was addressing a ceremony in Lahore in connection with digitization of police stations. He said reforms are the key to better functioning of institutions and departments. He said that his government had inherited broken roads network, crippling load shedding durations, besides, institutions suffering from malice of inefficiency.
Nawaz said through proper attention, institutions should be modernised and made to function in better manner. He praised the IT Initiatives and police receptions desks introduced in Punjab Police.
He said the desks of all police stations would be linked with the centralised system for better functioning and proper monitoring. He said provision of justice to every citizen could be streamlined with improvements in the criminal justice system including the filing of first investigation report and investigation process.
Addressing the ceremony, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif praised the reforms introduced in police system. He paid tribute to police personnel who gave sacrifices in war on terror.
He said Counter Terrorism Department was established in 2013 which has played an effective role in countering terrorism.
He appreciated the efforts of Punjab Police for holding final of PSL in Lahore in a peaceful manner.