Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has urged the Ulema of different schools of thought to promote sectarian harmony and do not allow “our enemies to take undue benefit from our mistakes”.
“We have been living and respecting each other since centuries and now we have to revive those traditions based on mutual understanding, respect and harmony,” he said while presiding over two meetings of Ulema at the CM House on Saturday. The meetings were attended by provincial ministers Saeed Ghani and Nasir Hussain Shah, law adviser Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, DG Rangers Major General Omer Bukhari, Sindh IGP Mushtaq Maher, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Additional Chief Secretary Home Usman Chachar and others.
The Ulema who attended the meetings included Syed Razi Jafferi, Allama Furqan Haider Abdi, Allama Baqar Hussain Zaidi, Nazir Taqwi, Syed Shabbar Zaidi, Sibte Raza, Mufti Muneeb Rehman, Mufti Taqi Usmani, Maulana Sarwat Aijaz Qadri, Mufti Abid Mubarak Madani, Mufti Naeem Jan Naeemi, Allama Pir Syed Muzaffar Shah, Allama Ashraf Gormani, Allama Liaquat Azhari and Maulana Rehman Amjad Nomani.
The chief minister said some unscrupulous elements had been trying to create sectarian disharmony in the province for many days. “We all have to demonstrate unity, fraternity and tolerance to fail such a move which is aimed at destabilising the country and we all will not allow this.”
He said the code of conduct for Ashura and Chehlum had already been agreed in meetings; therefore, all had to abide by it. “Our Ulema have to guide their followers in letter and spirit,” he said.
The Ulema assured the chief minister of their support. It was also agreed that if any person found to be involved in creating hatred would not be supported by any school of thought. “The law will take its course to deal with such a person,” the chief minister said.
He thanked the Ulema of Shia and Sunni sects for cooperating with the government in promoting peace and harmony in the society. “Today, the society is completely peaceful because of the Ulema’s teachings and preaching,” he said.