Minister seeks religious harmony among sects

Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri on Saturday announced that Ulema and Mashaikh from all schools of thought have expressed the resolve to oppose sectarianism and promote religious harmony.

He noted that the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) would decide whether or not to construct a temple in Islamabad at state expenses.

The minister was talking to the media after addressing Ittehad Ummat Conference (IUC) at Eidgah Sharif Darbar in a media briefing.

He was accompanied by CII Chairman Qibla Ayaz, Ulema and Mashaikh from all schools of thought and Sajjada Nashins (successors) of different shrines.

Qadri stated that keeping in view the sectarian divide, the government aspired to bring all religious scholars on one page.

“Those who want to spread violence, we distance ourselves from them. The act of a particular person should not be associated with any sect,” he said.

Observing that Prime Minister Imran Khan held positive views in this regard, he urged the religious scholars to spread of message of unity among Muslims through khanqahs (sufi lodges) and stressed that the government had a uniform policy for all the schools of thought.

The reiterated that the government would take religious leaders into confidence and take strict action against those promoting sectarian intolerance.

Commenting on the construction of temple in the federal capital, the religious affairs minister recalled that the land for the purpose was allotted in 2017.

“However, the decision of allocating state funds for the temple has not been taken. The Council of Islamic Ideology will decide whether or not the temple will be constructed using state funds,” he said.

“Islam stresses for granting rights to minorities and with regard to minorities’ rights, Pakistan leads [other countries] in the region,” he added.

Presenting the IUC communiqué, Eidgah Sharif Darbar Sajjada Nashin Pir Hassaan Haseebur Rehman remarked that the alliance strongly rejects any defamatory remarks against pious personalities.

He demanded that “Paigham-e-Pakistan” should be brought to the assembly and be made a part of the constitution.