Religious leaders urge political parties to forge 25-year accord for peace

ISLAMABAD: The religious scholars and leaders at the “Convention for Pakistan Accord” organised by the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) under the leadership of Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi urged political parties to forge ‘Pakistan Accord’ for 25 years to avoid any crisis in future.

“The religious scholars and leaders from different schools of thought emphasize the necessity for all stakeholders, including the Pakistan Armed Forces, judiciary, and all political and religious factions, to come together and formulate a covenant for the betterment of the nation. This covenant, named the ‘Pakistan Accord’, should outline the trajectory for the country’s next 25 years,” they added.

In a joint declaration, they highlighted that political parties must accept each other’s mandate and resort to the Constitution and law to resolve electoral disputes.

They urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the judiciary to play impartial roles in the matter. Ulema and Mashaykh emphasized that economic stability was linked with political stability, and without the latter, the former could not be achieved. They pointed out that Pakistan faces several challenges, and addressing them requires cooperation from all democratic societies.

They stressed all parties should accept the results of general elections and work together to resolve the national issues. However, they raised concerns regarding the dissatisfaction expressed by certain political parties over the results of the elections held on February 8.

Regarding electoral results, they reiterated that parties with doubts and suspicions should adhere to the Constitution and law, and the ECP should promptly address their concerns. It was deemed unacceptable to push the country towards unrest under any circumstances, they said, adding that the ECP and judiciary should play impartial roles in resolving electoral disputes. The religious scholars and leaders emphasized the importance of fostering an environment of tolerance and mutual respect among all political parties. They stated that the Pakistan Armed forces, judiciary, and all political and religious groups should unite under a comprehensive Pakistan Accord. They said a unified strategy for steering the beloved country out of crisis be devised to address internal and external challenges.

Furthermore, they proposed that Pakistan’s foreign policy, along with improving relations with friendly countries, should also focus on alleviating poverty and unemployment through a plan for youth rehabilitation to eliminate extremism and terrorism.

They concluded by asserting that all stakeholders must come together to formulate a consensus policy, which should be declared a national policy, and any government, irrespective of its origin, should accept it coherently. “The path we stand on today is the right path, and any experimentation with the situation will only lead to serious consequences,” they opined. They commended the services of the Pakistan Army and security agencies for maintaining peace during elections.