Moot hails efforts to eradicate terrorism

GUJRANWALA: Speakers at a seminar on Friday eulogized the Pakistan Army for its efforts to eradicate terrorism in order to safeguard territorial integrity of Pakistan and make it a peaceful country to live in.

The Paigham-e-Pakistan seminar organizsd by Aalmi Idara Tanzeem-ul-Islam at the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry also stressed the need to counter violent extremism from the society by highlighting various aspects of the menace, its stages and counter strategies. The speakers suggested ways for peace building and countering extremism by discussing contemporary challenges facing the country and their solutions.

Sahibzada Rafiq Ahmed Mujaddadi presided over the ceremony while MNA Sahibzada Syed Iftikhar-ul-Hasan Shah was the chief guest on the occasion. Prominent among those who spoke at the seminar were renowned religious scholar andDirector General Auqaf Department Punjab Dr Tahir Raza Bukhari, analyst Orya Maqbool Jan, AJK former religious affairs minister Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Qari Sadaqat Ali Shah, Pakistan Shariat Council Secretary General Maulana Zahidur Rashdi, Allama Amjad Jafri from Jamia Jafaria Gujranwala, Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith Coordinator Allama Tariq Yazdani, Bain ul Mazahib Amman Committee Chairman Saleem Zahid, Sajjad Mir and Director National Commission for Justice and Peace Fr Emmanuel Yousaf Mani.

Last week, the Islamic Research Institute (IRI) of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) announced to establish Paigham-e-Pakistan Center for Peace, Reconciliation and Reconstruction Studies in Islamabad to conduct research studies on peace, reconciliation and reconstruction.

The government earlier this year launched the Paigham-i-Pakistan project in order to address the challenges posed by extremism and sectarianism through a national narrative which also portrayed a soft and positive image of Pakistan and highlighted Islam as a religion of peace, brotherhood, tolerance and harmony. The initiative was also endorsed by Imam-e-Kaaba and the Grand Mufti of Egypt.