Ahsan Iqbal asks international community to do its part to combat terrorism

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal Tuesday said efforts to combat the menace of terrorism would not yield the desired results if the international community did not fulfill its obligations.

“Pakistan is doing its part. We hope the international community will also do its part because our efforts will only succeed when the world will fulfill its obligations,” he said addressing the launch of national counter-terrorism decree ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ (Message of Pakistan) at the President House.

The decree has been prepared by Islamic Research Institute of International Islamic University, Islamabad in consultation with religious scholars of all school of thought and Wafaqul Madaris.

Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan would not allow the use of its soil for carrying out attacks against anyone. He said in Islam, which was a religion of peace, punishment was only awarded by the state and only it had the right to declare ‘Jihad’.

“Islam is a peaceful religion. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has given the message of peace and respect not only for the Muslims but for all,” he added.

He underlined the need to resolve current burning issues saying that the international community would have to listen to the voice of people of Kashmir, Burma and Palestine.

Emphasizing the need for promoting unity and solidarity, he said only peace and unity could grant a prosperous Pakistan.

He said that when industrial revolution took place some 400 years ago, the Muslims did not pay attention towards that and lagged behind from Europe and the rest of the world.

“But now after the industrial revolution, the education revolution is knocking at our doors. For a bright future, we’ve to set our direction right. But this is not possible without achieving peace and stability,” he added.

He said it was a matter of concern that as to why even after 70 years of creation of Pakistan, the dream of a welfare Islamic state could not get materialized.  “Instead of blaming others, we need to do introspection. We will have to remain alert. The creation of Pakistan was aimed at establishing an Islamic welfare state, where citizens could live with dignity and peace,” he maintained.

The minister said all those, who sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism, deserved gratitude. He said the problems being faced by Pakistan today to a large extent were the result of the attitude of powers, who wanted to defeat the Soviet Union. After the Soviet War, they went back, leaving piles of arms. They did not pay any attention towards economic development of the region.

Pakistan, he added, had been hosting Afghan refugees for the last 30 years and the world could not blame it for not doing anything.

He said the ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ was aimed at giving equal rights to all citizens irrespective of their religion, ethnicity and language. He said if the two-nation theory was the basis of Pakistan’s creation, then the one-nation theory was necessary for its existence.

He said the Muslim countries would have to pay attention towards science and technology for a prosperous future.  He expressed the hope that the ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ would provide a platform on the basis of which Pakistan would become an Asian Tiger and a true welfare Islamic state as envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.