Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Sunday urged religious scholars and intellectuals to promote the true ‘message of humanity’ given in Medina Charter.

He was addressing the concluding session of a national seminar on ‘Reconstruction of Pakistani society in the light of Mithaq-e-Medina (Medina Charter) and announcement of Paigham-e-Pakistan’ arranged by the Islamic Research Institute of International Islamic University. The president said the association of humanity with the Medina Charter for resolution of the issues was because it guaranteed the fundamental rights of economy, justice and education.

The seminar also featured the announcement of a unanimous declaration named as ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ (Message of Pakistan) signed by the religious scholars from all schools of thought calling for action against the forces fanning extremism, calling for true implementation of the law dealing with blasphemy while discouraging mob justice in this regard.

Terming the declaration as historic step taken by scholars, President Mamnoon said he had also been trying to persuade Ulema to give the people a narrative against terrorism and extremism but the IRI took lead in this regard.

The seminar was attended by IIU Rector Professor Masoom Yasinzai, IIU President Ahmed Yousuf Darweish, Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, prominent religious scholars including Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Allama Hanif Jalandhri, Mufti Naeem Ahmed, Mufti Rafi Usmani and others from different sects.

Professor Masoom Yasinzai presented the unanimous declaration while Mufti Rafi Usmani read out the religious edict signed by all religious scholars which condemned terrorism and extremism, declared suicide attackers and their supporters as traitor, declared jihad a jurisdiction of Islamic state and disallowed use of force in name of enforcement of Islamic laws.

He said the consideration of developing the society in accordance with the Medina Charter despite the experiences and incidents of the previous century was satisfactory.

He also stated that being Muslims we aspired for peace in the whole world and desired progress, prosperity and welfare for the entire humanity.

The president also emphasised that a counter narrative needs to be built to negate the narratives of extremism, hate and terrorism to promote peace, harmony and respect of others and impress upon contemporary world that the ideas they harbour about Pakistan and Muslim Ummah in this regard have nothing to do with reality. Therefore, such seminars have great significance and importance in this respect, he added.

The president said that the Medina Charter was not created to protect communal interests, nor it related to Muslims only but it was a broad based agreement aimed at the welfare and protection of whole humanity.

He said the treaty not only had the trust and confidence of followers of Islam but also of non-Muslim.

President Mamnoon said the Holy Prophet (PBUH) always granted due rights to the rightful, gave relief to the oppressed and always treated the marginalized generously irrespective of their religion, caste, color or creed.

He also said that the founding fathers of Pakistan had also dreamt for such a society in which all citizens had equal rights. Later, the rector and IIU president along with HEC chairman conferred on the president the highest award of the IRI in recognition of his services for the society and his efforts to develop Pakistan into a moderate state.