No religion propagates hate, violence: Aneeq

ISLAMABAD: The Caretaker Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Aneeq Ahmed, while addressing ‘Interfaith Harmony Conference,’ has said that no religion propagates hate or violence, all religions propagate message of peace and respect of humanity.

“All humans are equal therefore we should address fault lines in the society and work for the betterment and welfare of the society,” the minister said. He mentioned that society is like a bouquet of flowers containing different faiths and religion which adds beauty to the society. Flowers of this bouquet needs to be protected and celebrated rather than harming it.

The minister regretted and condemned Jaranwala tragedy and said that although it was tragic incident and should not have had happened but he was pleased to see that mosques were opened for the victims to shelter.

The minister welcomed the idea of arranging such conferences in Masajid and Madaris, holding workshops and student exchanges between different faiths so that distance be reduced. He appreciated the speakers and participants for attending the conference and said that there should be collectively strive for the betterment of society and should spread message of peace and positive Pakistan across the country and abroad. He acknowledged the efforts and contributions of religious minorities for Pakistan. He highlighted the importance of treating individuals from diverse religious backgrounds as equal citizens of Pakistan.

Other Speakers, Sardar Ramesh Singh, Tushna Patel, Mufti Nazeer Ahmed Khan, Farsheed Rouhani, Bishop Frderick John, Professor Manoj Chauhan, Benny Mario Travas, Mufti Noman Naeem, Cardinal Joseph Coutts, also addressed the conference and were unanimous in their resolve to spread message of peace and humanity.

The event was attended by representatives of different religious backgrounds, including Hindu, Bahai, Parsi, Sikh and Christian communities.