Will seek Ulema’s advice on setting up welfare state: PM

Religious affairs minister says court will decide about placing Aasia Bibi on ECL

ISLAMABAD:  

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Islam is the religion of peace, adding that he will seek advice from religious scholars on ‘how to best present our religion to the whole world’.

He said this during a meeting with Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain at the PM Office on Tuesday.

The PM said he wanted the advice of Ulema and other religious figures on his aim to turn Pakistan into a welfare state like Madina. He said Rabiul Awwal would be celebrated with great religious fervour in the entire country, and directions had been issued to all the provinces in this regard.



Qadri, meanwhile, said that the court would decide the matter of placing Aasia Bibi’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

He told the media that the government had signed an agreement with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to end the protests that went on for three days against the Supreme Court’s decision to acquit Aasia Bibi.

He said the TLP had agreed to take action against those involved in sabotage activities during the party’s protest. He added that the state would take strict action against them.

Meanwhile, addressing a consultative workshop for 'Hajj policy 2019' arranged by the Hajj Organisers Association of Pakistan (HOAP) at a local hotel, the religious affairs minister said his ministry was planning to arrange an international Hajj Council meeting in Islamabad to resolve the problems faced by pilgrims during Hajj.

He said the federal government was taking steps to resolve the problems facing the Pakistani pilgrims while travelling from Pakistan to Makkah. He added that medical fitness was a must for a pilgrim.



The minister urged the private tour operators to arrange maximum training for pilgrims before Hajj. He said he was in contact with the Civil Aviation Authority and other organisations to facilitate the pilgrims on flights and allow them to carry maximum luggage.

"It is the government of change and we will encourage whosoever will serve well," he said.

The minister warned that those involved in cheating people would not be tolerated. He said the 2019 Hajj arrangements would be far better than in the past as the Pakistan government was in contact with the Saudi authorities.

(With additional input from APP)