Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Special Representative to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and the Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi Thursday said Pakistan’s relations with Arab Islamic Countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Egypt, Bahrain, Amman, and Iraq are improving with practical cooperation in different areas and sectors.

Talking to national and international media representatives on Thursday, Ashrafi said that neither UAE nor Saudi Arabia has asked Pakistan to recognize Israel.

He said Anti-Pakistan forces are worried following the improvement of Pakistan’s relations with the Arab Islamic countries.

Contacts are underway with Saudi officials on the issue of repatriation of Pakistanis, said Ashrafi. Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced Pakistan’s policy in the National Assembly that we want friendship, not slavery, said Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi adding that if there is a civil war in Afghanistan, it will affect the entire world. Pakistan can be a facilitator for peace in Afghanistan but not for anarchy and conflict.

Afghan groups should take the path of dialogue for reconciliation. The declaration of the Pak-Afghan Ulema Conference with the cooperation of Saudi Arabia is an appeal for peace and reconciliation and not a fatwa against anyone.

On the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, consultation process is underway with leadership of all religious schools of thought and respective security agencies and provincial governments for the establishment of law and order situation and for interfaith tolerance and harmony during the month of Muharram-ul-Haram.

The peace committees and interfaith harmony councils in the country are being fully activated and organized ahead of Muharram-ul-Haram to promote intersect harmony and tolerance in the country.

Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi announced that important leaders of Arab Islamic countries would visit Pakistan within the next three months and delegations from Pakistan would also visit Arab Islamic countries.

Rumours relating talks with Israel and coordination with Israel are being fanned with objectives to make anarchy and spread evil in the country, said Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi.
Pakistan has no ties with Israel and propaganda is being used to put pressure on the state of Pakistan to create internal chaos, said Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi.