Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi has lauded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for presenting a clear and decisive position on Palestine and Gaza at the United Nations General Assembly.
Addressing a press conference at Jamia Masjid Mubarak, Model Town, here on Sunday, he said the Muslim Ummah stood united on the issue of Palestine and welcomed Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts at the international level.
Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address at the UNGA had provided solace to many, and he praised recent high-level contacts, including the Prime Minister’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in New York and the unprecedented meeting between Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and the US President, as important diplomatic achievements that signalled a thaw in relations. He said one immediate outcome of those interactions was President Trump’s assurance, as conveyed to Pakistani leadership, that he would not allow Israel to “swallow” Gaza.
The PUC Chairman said that the international response had been encouraging, with 157 countries recognizing Palestine as a state. He particularly praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his prominent role in mobilizing global support. He added that the Pakistan-Saudi defence agreement had generated widespread joy across the Muslim world and that Iran had also expressed interest in joining the pact. He described Pakistan’s evolving diplomatic standing as a source of honour, saying the country had been recognised among the Ummah and had earned the distinction of being a custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Tahir Ashrafi appealed for renewed focus on reconnecting religious platforms with the public. He warned that incitement and extremist behaviour, whether by speech or action, were causing grave harm to society. “We must protect the new generation from ideas that drive them away from Islam,” he said, calling for greater dialogue and intra-faith engagement. He urged worshippers to pray in one another’s mosques to bridge sectarian divides and stressed that no individual should unilaterally declare another as blasphemous. “Declaring someone an apostate or a blasphemer is not a small matter, it affects your own faith, no one has the right to become judge in such cases,” he said.
On domestic counter-extremism, Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi underlined the urgent need to eliminate extremist tendencies from society. He welcomed the government’s National Message of Peace Committee, noting that the document carries the signatures of 14,000 clerics. He said the council insisted that the concept and rules of jihad must be applied strictly according to Sharia, and that the killing of innocents, as well as attacks on mosques, imambaras and bazaars, cannot be justified as jihad.
Touching on regional security, he said Afghanistan is a brotherly Islamic nation and its territory must not be used against Pakistan. He recalled that Pakistan Ulema Council had earlier issued fatwas condemning suicide attacks, underlining the council’s stance against terrorism.
Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic and economic gains, observing that the country was reaping successes on both fronts. He expressed hope that improved ties with the United States would open avenues for greater investment, market access and broader cooperation in trade, security and development. He added that, for the first time, the United States had shown readiness to play a mediatory role on the Kashmir issue.
He said that since May Pakistan had been divinely favoured with a series of successes and that the nation now stood more confident on international platforms. He urged continued unity among Pakistanis and underscored the role of religious leaders in promoting peace, dialogue and national cohesion.