National resolve: ‘Pakistan is no country for terrorists’

“Religious scholars are all on board with the National Action plan," says Tahir Ashrafi.

FAISALABAD:

“Religious scholars are all on board with the National Action plan Prepared by the government to eliminate terrorism,” said Pakistan Ulema Council chairman Tahir Ashrafi on Saturday.

“Terrorists should have no place in Pakistan. It is a duty of every Pakistani to support the government in bringing peace and harmony to the country,” he added.

He was addressing a press conference. Ashrafi said killing innocent people was a cowardly act. He said those involved in violence in the name of religion should be condemned and brought to justice. He said the killing of 141 people in Peshawar was an attempt to break the nation’s morale. “History will not forgive us if we do not take action against those involved in the massacre,” he said.

He said the Pakistan Ulema Council would celebrate 2015 as a year of peace, love and brotherhood. He said the message would be promoted at all seminaries and mosques in the country. “We will not bow before terrorists,” he said.

Ashrafi said that hate literature and propaganda promoting sectarianism, extremism and intolerance should be banned, adding that effective action should be taken against newspapers and periodicals involved in promoting such practices.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2015.