New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media during a press conference at the Justice Precinct in Christchurch on March 16, 2019. PHOTO: AFP
A "Solidarity Day for Martyrs of New Zealand" was observed across Pakistan on Friday on a call issued by the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC).
Moreover, in recognition of the efforts by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to embrace the Muslim community of the island nation after the Christchurch attacks, the council has decided to announce a peace award for her.
This was disclosed by the council on Friday as it acknowledged Ardern’s sympathetic conduct towards martyrs of last Friday’s gruesome attacks and the Muslims of New Zealand.
They also recommended that a 'Martyrs of Islam Award' be conferred to victims of the New Zealand incident.
Clerics, religious scholars and ulemas, while addressing Friday congregations, underlined that the unity of the global community was required to root out the menace of terrorism and extremism from the world.
Terrorism and extremism have been jolting the world since the ’90s and leading the world community towards an abyss of destruction and devastation, they stated.
While addressing Friday sermons, clerics further demanded leaders of all religions and regions of the world to guide the youth in their respective countries towards the path of peace and harmony.
At the same time, they called on the global community to hold perpetrators of such acts of brutal violence accountable.
Clerics also condemned the murder of a college professor by his student in Bahawalpur stating that a judicial commission should be tasked with investigating this act of terrorism from all angles with an endeavour to avert such extremist incidents in the future.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 23rd, 2019.
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