Daily Times

Special Representative to Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony & Middle East and Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi on Friday condemning the blast in a mosque during the Friday congregation in Peshawar said that targeting innocent people in a place of worship was an inhuman act and the culprits would be given exemplary punishment.

Addressing a press conference at Directorate General Public Relations Punjab (DGPR), he said that the government of Pakistan was committed to root out terrorism from the country, adding that all the religious leaders were on the same page and condemned this brutal incident. He expressed sympathies with the families of martyrs and the injured.

He said that words could not adequately condemn the sheer brutality, adding, “The people and the state are determined to completely eradicate the terrorism and extremism as we did in the past.” Prime Minister Imran Khan had strongly condemned this brutal attack and conveyed a strong message that the culprits involved in the incident would be dealt with iron hand, he added.

To a question, Allama Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said that this was a terrorism act by some anti state elements to derail the interfaith harmony in the country but all such bids would be foiled as the leaders of all schools of thought were united against terrorism. Peace and stability in Pakistan would be maintained with support of all religious leaders, he maintained.

Speaking on the occasion, Allama Muhammad Hussain Akbar said that collective efforts were needed to defeat the terrorists and foil all the attempts aimed at creating instability and chaos in the country. He added it had been decided to observe three-day mourning to express solidarity with the victims of Peshawar blast.

Punjab Minister for Human Rights & Minorities Affairs Ejaz Alam Augustine, Allama Hafiz Kazim Raza, Allama Zubair Abid, Maulana Muhammad Khan Laghari, Maulana Peer Asadullah Farooq and others were also present.