Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan recording his comments. PHOTO: INO
The minister was referring to a summit held in Washington on ‘countering violent extremism’ in February 2015, and recalled that over 60 countries participating in the moot agreed upon the need to delink terrorism from religion.
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“Within just one year of the summit, the action emanating from Washington banning visas for seven Muslim countries has sent a negative message across the Muslim world,” the interior minister said while addressing a seminar jointly organised by the National Defence University and the Royal Danish Defence College.
The seminar was titled: ‘Carving out a vision for a brighter tomorrow: addressing challenges and opportunities for enhanced regional cooperation’.
Nisar said: “The situation in South Asia cannot be seen and understood through foreign security paradigms and foreign solutions cannot address security-related issues of the region.”
“The tendency to label every man with a beard and every woman wearing hijab as potential terrorists should stop now,” the interior minister emphasised.
Security, Chaudhry Nisar said, “is no longer a local or a regional issue, but it has global manifestations and connotation.”
“To win the war against terrorism, there has to be an international coalition, but this coalition should be based on mutual and greater understanding of regional dynamics and regional compulsions.”
Nisar said security in today’s world was a multi-dimensional and multi-faceted issue which could not be ensured just by closing borders and pretending to feel safe.
The minister said no solution from America or the West could be imposed on our region and vice versa.
To win the war against terrorism, the support of over one billion Muslims was essential, he said.
Pakistan only country where terrorism is on the decline: Nisar
“The West should get out of the trend of Islamophobia and blaming Islam for everything,” he said adding the support of Muslim countries in the fight against terrorism was crucial in order to win this battle of hearts and minds.
With regards to Pakistan’s approach towards peace and enhancing regional cooperation, the interior minister said: “Pakistan has been showing maximum urge and inclination for promoting peace and tranquillity in the region.”
“The key to addressing issues is engagement and those who cannot engage in dialogue have a weak case.”
He observed that politics and security were two different things that needed to be separated from each other. “It is very important not to mix politics with security.”
He noted that “internal issues, territorial disputes and internal problems should not be correlated with lack of security. This is happening in South Asia”.
The minister stressed that “freedom movements should not be equated with terrorism”.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2017.
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