United against terrorism: Istehkam-e-Pakistan campaign to be launched on Friday

Representatives of different religions term terrorism ‘un-Islamic, inhuman’

KARACHI: In an attempt to show solidarity with the Ismaili community, representatives of different schools of thought and leaders of different religions decided to launch the ‘Istehkam-e-Pakistan campaign’ and announced to celebrate a ‘Youm-e-Yakjehti Pakistan’ tomorrow [Friday] for the purpose. 

This was announced at an ‘Istehkam-e-Pakistan’ seminar on Wednesday, where all terrorist activities in the country were termed ‘un-Islamic and inhuman’. The seminar was held at Hotel Mehran.

Reading a joint statement at the seminar, Pakistan Ulema Council central chairperson Hafiz Muhammad Tahirul Ashrafi said that such public gatherings will be held in all provinces before the month of Ramazan.

Reading the statement further, Ashrafi said that the National Action Plan, which was never implemented according to its true spirit, ended up confining itself to restricting the use of loudspeakers in mosques and the role of madrassas in society.

According to Ashrafi, it was important to call the Ismaili community’s representatives. “We had to let them know that our hearts are also crying the same way as their hearts,” he said.

Ismaili community representative Karim Aman was of the opinion that the attack on his community was not an attack on the Ismaili community but an attack on Pakistan. He said that Ismailis have faith in the law enforcement agencies and that the community understands that it is not humanly possible for the law enforcers to watch out every happening of the city.

He said that such gatherings in which they had to mourn should not take place any further. “Instead, we should gather to discuss issues such as how to battle poverty,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2015.