Ashrafi urges swift justice for May 9 incidents

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Religious Harmony, and Pakistani Diaspora in Middle East and Muslim Countries, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi on Saturday expressed concern over the delay in judicial proceedings regarding the May 9 incidents.

Addressing the Inter-Religious Conference, he emphasized the need for a united effort to ensure a secure and tolerant ‘Islamic Republic of Pakistan’.

Ashrafi, who also chairs the Pakistan Ulema Council, highlighted the importance of fostering an environment where children of all faiths could attend school and go their worship places without fear.

He highlighted that nations that engaged in conflict with their security forces sow divisions between the populace and the country’s security institutions.

He mentioned that parallel instances could be observed in Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, where the deliberate cultivation of animosity based on religious sects had led to detrimental divisions.

Ashrafi warned that adversaries were seeking a replication of such discord within our borders.

Commenting on the meeting between religious scholars and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, he dismissed baseless narratives surrounding the event. He stressed the unity and understanding achieved in the meeting, underlining the collective responsibility for the defense, security, and protection of Pakistan.

In a significant development, Ashrafi applauded the recent court decision sentencing individuals, including Major (Rtd) Adil Raja and Captain (retd) Haider Mehdi, for their involvement in anti-state activities. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the perceived leniency of the sentences and called for more stringent punishment for those threatening the nation’s integrity.

Ashrafi urged the administration and chief justice to expedite justice for all criminals involved in the May 9 events, emphasizing that a nation could not be governed effectively without swift legal proceedings.

He said under these circumstances, nations could not be effectively governed, adding that the current stability witnessed in Pakistan was a direct result of a meticulously crafted policy.

He said the collaborative efforts of the government and the army materialized in the establishment of an investment facilitation council, attracting substantial investments amounting to billions of dollars. He said noteworthy contributions were being made by nations such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and Qatar.

On international matters, Ashrafi reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Palestine, commending the government’s aid efforts and rejecting any diplomatic ties with Israel. He called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Sharif as its capital.

Prominent figures at the conference, including Minister for Religious Affairs Aneeq Ahmed and Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, echoed Ashrafi’s sentiments. The gathering concluded with a diverse range of leaders emphasizing the importance of interfaith dialogue and national harmony. (APP)