Ashrafi terms Ulema-COAS meeting fruitful

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has termed the recent meeting of Ulema & Mashaikh with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir at GHQ Rawalpindi fruitful and significant in the present time.

Addressing the press conference at Jamia Manzoor-ul-Islamia here on Saturday he said that national and international affairs, Gaza, Afghanistan, Pakistan ties and other issues were discussed during the meeting.

Ashrafi, who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), said that peace is curtail for any country’s development and religious scholars along with law enforcement agencies were working to restore peace in the country. He highlighted the united stance of Ulema & Mashaikh and religious scholars from across the country, supporting Pakistan’s efforts to combat extremism and terrorism.
Ashrafi said that Pakistan’s peace is connected with Afghanistan’s peace and requested Afghanistan to consider Pakistan’s peace as its own.

He said that Ulema & Mashaikh were united under the leadership of COAS General Asim Munir to restore peace in the country and put it on the track to development and prosperity. He said the use of force and armed action by any militia, entity or group other than the state was unacceptable.

He said that out of the last 24 terrorist attacks in Pakistan, 14 were Afghan nationals, adding that Afghan nationals were also involved in the Mianwali Air Base attack but Pakistan still wanted to make better and healthy relations with Afghanistan. He said that no one should be allowed to undermine the pursuit of peace between the two neighboring countries.

Ashrafi said that Afghan refugees living legally in Pakistan were not being deported, only those who have no legal documents and have been living in Pakistan illegally are being sent back to their country. He added the properties and asserts of Afghan brothers who are going back should be priced according to the market value.

He said that Gaza was not an issue of Palestine or Arab nations but entire humanity. He asked the world what was done by the innocent children of Gaza as more than 3,500 children had been murdered in Israeli aggression since October 7. “Israeli brutalities have taken the lives of more than 11,000 people in Palestine and Gaza,” he added.

Ashrafi emphasized that the Pakistani government’s stance was unequivocal – Palestinians must receive their rightful justice. He commended Pakistan’s unique position, being the only Islamic country whose Army Chief had assured complete support for the Palestinian cause. He emphasized the continued commitment of Pakistan to the principles laid out by the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

He said that during the Jummah prayer break as well as at the end of the meeting, the COAS met with the attending scholars individually and discussed matters of mutual interest with them as well.

Maulana Asadullah Khan, Maulana Aslam Siddiqui and Maulana Mubasher Rahimi were also present. (APP)