Daily Times

PESHAWAR – Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf has said that political and military leadership was on the same page regarding militancy and the menace would be eliminated what may be the price.

Addressing National Conference on Inter Religious Harmony here on Tuesday, he urged Ulemas and political leaders to join hands for the extermination of militancy from Pakistan. He said that sacrifices of security forces and general public in war against terror would not go in vain. He said that the militants would not be spared and would be brought to court of law at any cost.

The minister said that existing government wants to out root militants as it was indispensible to lead Pakistan on way to progress and prosperity, also it is the vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that current leadership would play a role to secure rights of minorities and addressing their just demands.

He said Islam was against the policies that seeds dissention and unrest in the society rather its teaching permits people of other communities to follow their own religion. He pointed out that majority of world societies have been divided by the diversities of various religions. He said the time demands greater inter faith harmony as it was tool that would create awareness among people against extremism and militancy.

Minority loving Pakistan

Addressing the conference, Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) Chairman Siddiqul Farooq lauded participants from different religions for their candid views on the subject matter mainly focusing on peace, tolerance and forbearance. The real identity of humanity was based on these principals, he said, adding tolerance among each other would strengthen edifice of society.

He said that his organisation was actively engaged in efforts to address the problems of Hindu and Sikh communities. Pakistan would be made minority loving country as per the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. A unanimous communiqué – read out by Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Secretary Ilyas Khan – appreciated efforts of federal and provincial governments for arranging a national conference on the subject matter.

Pakistan is an Islamic democratic state and its citizens who belong to various faiths, have a very enviable record of maintaining peace, religious harmony and social justice. The conference feels that the menace of intolerance, extremism, sectarianism and terrorism were on decline with each passing day, however, there was still necessity to make more efforts to overcome these curses so to make the county peaceful abode for everyone.

Therefore, the conference appealed the world community not to link terrorism with any particular religion instead its basic reasons and causes should be determined for total elimination so that world could be made a citadel of justice, equality and stability. The interfaith dialogue should be encouraged at every forum of the world by bridging the gaps between the religions. Terrorism has plagued the world therefore concerted serious and coordinated efforts were required at world level to eliminate it, the communiqué concluded.