Conflict resolution: ‘Violence here affects Muslims elsewhere’

Polish mufti offers to mediate between extremists and Pakistani authorities.

ISLAMABAD:

The Grand Mufti of Poland, Tomasz Miskiewicz, has offered to play the role of a mediator between religious extremists and authorities in Pakistan. He believes extremist violence in Pakistan is giving a bad name to Muslim minorities in Europe.

Muslims living in European countries are facing all sorts of discrimination and they find it difficult to maintain their identity in the face of a global media, taking cue from Pakistan and Afghanistan, painting them as terrorists.

Mufti Miskiewicz is on a visit to Pakistan where he met madrassah students and their teachers. He also held meetings with religious scholars.

While denouncing suicide bombings and violence in the name of religion as ‘haram’, he said not all violence in Pakistan emanates from religious groups.

Offering to play the role of a mediator, Miskiewicz said he “believe[s] dialogue is always possible in a conflict, however, the condition is that all parties have to see the need for dialogue as good for their side as well as for the society as a whole.”

He added, however, that even ‘extremists’ have a right to express their views that need to be respected, in order to make dialogue possible.

The society, including groups that resort to extremism, must have the right to freedom of expression, religion and belief, he said.

Those involved in extremist activities, however, need to be spoken to and understood from a social perspective, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th,  2011.