Pakistani clerics call on Riyadh, Tehran to bury the hatchet

National Ulema and Mashaikh Council condemns Parachinar bombings; to develop counter-narrative for combating terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Unanimously condemning the June 23 bombings in Parachinar, Ulema and Mashaikhs from all schools of thought have called on Saudi Arabia and Iran to sort out their differences in a bid to end sectarian divide within the Muslim Ummah in general and Pakistan in particular.

In a joint statement read out by Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf after an emergency meeting of the National Ulema and Mashaikh Council on Monday, the participants said there is no sectarian rift in Parachinar but some foreign powers want to spread hatred and sabotage peace.

Declaring suicide bombing as 'un-Islamic', they urged the stakeholders to resolve issues through collective efforts and understanding, and reiterated that they ‘won’t let the enemy of this country materialise its evil designs.’

“From this platform, we strongly condemn this cowardly terror attack on the people of Parachinar and demand that the government take strict action against people involved in this attack. We will fully support [the] government in this initiative,” the joint statement added.



The council demanded of the government to identify foreign agents actively working in Pakistan to sabotage its peace and take stern action against them. They also demanded punishment for Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in accordance with the law.

The meeting decided that the steering committee of the Ulema and Mashaikh Council would chalk out a comprehensive counter-narrative for combating terrorism, sectarianism, extremism and suicide bombings in the country.

The council also called for constituting a reconciliation committee that could take immediate action in case of any such terror activity in the country.

Talking to the media, the minister said the emergency meeting was convened on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to chalk out a strategy in the wake of twin bombings in Parachinar that killed at least 75 people and injured nearly 100.



He said a high-level Ulema delegation would visit the embassies of Saudi Arabia and Iran as part of efforts to help end their stalemate, adding that the longstanding Iran-Arab rivalry had a spillover impact on Pakistan.

Yousaf said the meeting recommended a host of measures including imposing ban on the TV and radio talk shows promoting sectarian violence and hatred. “It is the prime responsibility of the media to promote nationalism and patriotism rather than spreading hatred,” he said.

The council demanded of the government to also take action against people spreading sectarian hatred on social media and effectively implement the cyber crime law in the country, he added.