Daily Times

LAHORE: Speakers at a conference on Friday said that ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ initiative of the government of Pakistan is the best tool to deal with growing extremism and intolerance in the society and to encourage the youth towards positive and constructive activities.

“Paigham-e-Pakistan is a beacon of hope for all segments of society,” National Mashaikh Council Chairman Khawaja Ghulam Qutbuddin Faridi told ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan Conference’ organized by Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department at the Data Darbar mosque. “The consensus decree by 5,000 clerics for establishment of peace in the country and eradication of extremism and terrorism is the basis of Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative,” he said, adding that the document is the best depiction of Quran, Sunnah and social principles of Islamic Shariah. “By applying these golden principles, we can turn our country into a role model of peace and harmony,” he said. “This intuitive can guarantee a safe and peaceful future for our next generations by ridding the society of hatred and prejudices,” he added.

Punjab Auqaf Department Director General Dr Tahir Raza Bukhari said the basic objective of Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative is to promote harmony and friendly relations between various segments of the society as well as different religious groups in the country. “By implementing this project in true letter and spirit, we can not only get rid of internal as well as external frictions and conspiracies but also achieve our goals of development and prosperity in the country in line with the needs of the time,” he said. “Educational institutions and religious seminaries can play a vital role in eradication of intolerance and violent extremisms through character building of the students across country,” he said. “Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative has already been endorsed by all the institutions of the state of Pakistan,” he added.

Other speakers including Data Darbar Khateeb Mufti Ramzan Sialvi, Mualana Arif Sialvi and Mulana Faisal Abbasi stressed that Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative is in fact the description of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. “Promotion of this initiative is the national and religious obligation of the ulema and mashaikh belonging to all sects and religious groups,” they said. “Islam is the religion of peace and tranquility. Students and faculty members of universities, colleges and schools can play their role as ambassadors of peace for social reformation of the society in the light of Islamic principles,” they added.

The clerics said that being Muslims it was their national and religious responsibility that they strive to set up a peaceful and exemplary society which is free of bigotry and racism. “Every individual of the Muslim Ummah will have to play his part to achieve this goal,” they added.

Speakers at the conference stressed the need for a concerted effort to disseminate the message of Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative among all segments of the society across the country. They also urged the participants of the conference to fulfill their human and religious obligation of promoting peace, tolerance, brotherhood and unity in the country.

Published in Daily Times, August 11^th 2018.