Daily Times

Speakers at a seminar on Friday eulogised Pakistan Army for its efforts to eradicate terrorism in order to safeguard territorial integrity of Pakistan and make it a peaceful country to live in.

The Paigham-e-Pakistan seminar organised by Aalmi Idara Tanzeemul Islam at the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce & Industry also stressed the need to counter violent extremism from the society by highlighting various aspects of the menace, its stages and counter strategies. The speakers suggested ways for peace building and countering extremism by discussing contemporary challenges facing the country and their solutions.

Sahibzada Rafiq Ahmed Mujaddadi presided over the ceremony while Member of National Assembly Sahibzada Syed Iftikharul Hassan Shah was the chief guest on the occasion. Prominent among those who spoke at the seminar was renowned religious scholar and Auqaf Department Punjab Director General Dr Tahir Raza Bukhari, analyst Orya Maqbool Jan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir former religious affairs minister Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Qari Sadaqat Ali Shah, Pakistan Shariat Council Secretary General Maulana Zahidur Rashdi, Allama Amjad Jafri from Jamia Jafaria Gujranwala, Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith Coordinator Allama Tariq Yazdani, Bainul Mazahib Amman Committee Chairman Salim Zahid, Sajjad Mir and National Commission for Justice & Peace Director Emmanuel Yousaf Mani.

Last week, the Islamic Research Institute of the International Islamic University Islamabad announced to establish Paigham-e-Pakistan Center for Peace, Reconciliation & Reconstruction Studies in Islamabad to conduct research studies on peace, reconciliation and reconstruction.

The government earlier this year launched the Paigham-e-Pakistan project in order to address the challenges posed by extremism and sectarianism through a national narrative which also portrayed a soft and positive image of Pakistan and highlighted Islam as a religion of peace, brotherhood, tolerance and harmony. The initiative was also endorsed by Imam-e-Kaaba and the Grand Mufti of Egypt.

Published in Daily Times, August 4^th 2018.