Prominent Islamic scholars from various schools of thought met with General Syed Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff, at General Headquarters (GHQ) on November 17,2023.
The scholars unanimously condemned extremism, terrorism, and sectarianism and pledged their continued support for the efforts of the state and security forces to bring tolerance, peace, and stability to the country. They emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace and harmony and that any distorted or perverted interpretations of religion are motivated by personal interests and have nothing to do with true Islamic teachings.
The Chief of Army Staff commended the ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ Fatwa issued by religious scholars to counter misleading propaganda spread by extremists and terrorists. He called upon the scholars to promote and implement the Fatwa in its true spirit and to avoid internal divisions.
He also highlighted the role of scholars in guiding youth towards understanding the Quran and Sunnah, as well as in character building, alongside other academic knowledge and technical skills.
The Chief of Army Staff emphasized that there is no place for intolerance or extremist behavior by any group or individual, especially against minorities and vulnerable segments of society.
The forum unanimously supported the government’s measures to strengthen the state, including the repatriation of illegal immigrants, the implementation of the One Document Regime, anti-smuggling and hoarding measures, and the anti-power theft drive. It also fully acknowledged Pakistan’s position and concerns regarding terrorism emanating from Afghan soil and urged Afghanistan to take serious action to address Pakistan’s concerns.
The forum also expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the atrocities being committed against the innocent people of Gaza, condemning them as crimes against humanity.
The Chief of Army Staff concluded by stating that “Pakistan belongs to all Pakistanis without any religious, provincial, tribal, linguistic, ethnic, sectarian, or any other distinction. The use of force and armed action by any militia, entity, or group other than the state is unacceptable.”
November 17,2023
source: ARY News