F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi on Wednesday hailed the forty-year-long hospitality extended to Afghan brothers and assured a continued commitment to their well-being in line with Pakistan’s laws.
Addressing a joint press conference of Ulema and Mashaykh regarding the issue of non-Pakistani residents in the country, he underscored that possessing information about them was essential but should not lead to unwarranted complaints.
Ashrafi said the issue of non-Pakistani residents in the country posed a challenge. As neighboring nations, it was incumbent upon the Pakistan and Afghanistan governments to collaboratively address and resolve these challenges, he added.
He categorically stated that stability in Pakistan equated to stability in Afghanistan, and vice versa. He said the decisions on such matters would be made by the state, with unity among all the stakeholders in this regard.
He said there was no acceptance of recognizing Israel as Kashmir and Palestine were declared common issues for the Muslim Ummah, with a special focus on the ongoing oppression faced by the people of Kashmir. He also highlighted the need for international awareness of the plight of Kashmiris, emphasizing that Kashmir remained incarcerated. He urged the international community to take note of these concerns.
Furthermore, Ashrafi who is also the President of the International Interfaith Council, reaffirmed the rights of minorities in Pakistan, emphasizing that their protection was the responsibility of the state.
Strongly denouncing the recent terrorist incidents that occurred on the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal, he labeled them as acts of barbarism that were in direct opposition to Islam and humanity. He noted a recent surge in such attacks over the past two months emphasizing that those who perpetrated such violence had no affiliation with true Islam and were clearly acting against its teachings.
He mentioned that Muslim World League Secretary-General Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa had also condemned these incidents of death and destruction in the strongest terms.
Ashrafi, expressing, solidarity against terrorism and extremism, emphasized that terrorism was a cancer that must be eradicated.
He pointed out that India’s involvement in terrorism, both in Canada and globally, should be recognized by the international community. He urged the global fraternity to take notice of this concerning development.
It is worth mentioning here that under the Pakistan Ulema Council, a joint conference, chaired by Ashrafi, was organized here to address the growing menace of extremism, sectarian violence, and the current state of the nation. The conference, attended by prominent scholars and religious leaders including Council’s Vice President Maulana Muhammad Nauman Hashir, concluded with a unified condemnation of recent incidents. (APP)
