Seerat Conference: President calls for national counterterror narrative

President says national narrative essential for fighting terrorism with unanimity of thought

ISLAMABAD:  

President Mamnoon Hussain has called upon the intelligentsia to put their heads together to build a national counterterrorism narrative because the cancer of extremism imperils development and stability.

Addressing the annual International Seerat Conference held by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Saturday, the president said the national narrative was essential for fighting terrorism with unanimity of thought.

Recalling that as the whole nation was celebrating Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) on Friday, terrorists killed innocent people in Peshawar, he asked how a person threatening others’ lives and property could claim to be the follower of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

The president said the whole nation was determined to eliminate terrorism from the country, and national unity and cohesion were needed to achieve this goal.

He said it was necessary that every Muslim, particularly those responsible for looking after public affairs, should constantly study the Holy Quran and Sunnah for guidance to face the challenges of the time.

The president said the world was embroiled in complex problems, the reasons of which could be found in the approach to life, psychology and historical background of different societies. He said these were the factors due to which various regions had conflicts and harboured hostility at one or the other level.

“Our region could not remain uninfluenced from this restiveness, the effects of which can be seen beyond our boundaries as well as within our frontiers,” he added.

He called for following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and harbouring the virtues of love and goodwill by setting aside the quest for personal gains, objectives and interests.

Acquiring education was made compulsory for every man and woman, collective justice was promoted and discouragement of concentration of wealth resulted in such a wave of prosperity in the tribal society which could still be envied, he said about the system founded by Islam.

Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Yousuf highlighted the achievements of his ministry, including the establishment of a recycling plant for soiled Quranic pages, countrywide conferences on interfaith harmony, a cell to prohibit the spread of blasphemous content on internet and setting up of an Ulema council on religious harmony.

He said the ministry had given legal cover to the moon sighting committee and introduced uniform timings for prayers in Islamabad. He said the ministry would hold conferences on Khatm-e-Nabuwwat.

Grand Mufti of Kyrgyzstan Maksatbek Azhy Toktomushev was also present on the occasion.