Daily Times

Special Representative to Prime Minister on religious harmony, and Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi underscored the need of saying no to violent attitudes as Paigham e Pakistan demands to discourage the elements who spread chaos and violence. Speaking in an International conference on peacemaking, national integration, social cohesion and Interfaith Harmony, he opined that it is the prerogative of the state only to deal with blasphemy. The conference was organized by Islamic Research Institute (IRI) of University Islamabad (IIUI) at Faisal Masjid campus of the university in which Ministers, senior politicians, Ambassadors, Academicians, faculty members, researchers, intellectual and religious scholars expressed views on the importance of peace, national integration, protection of the rights of minorities and role of academia in social cohesion. Ashrafi added that according to religious teachings and the constitution nobody is allowed to take law into own hands. He said no one will be allowed to violate the rights of minorities. Appreciating the International Islamic University Islamabad’s initiative of Paigham e Pakistan, he said this narrative is endorsed by religious scholars and Aima across the globe from Shaikh Al-Azhar to Imam e Haram.