High time to promote tolerance, interfaith harmony

Islamabad : “This is high time that the leaders and preachers of different faiths being practiced in Pakistan should sit together and find the way forward to promote religious tolerance and interfaith harmony in the society.”

This was stated by Sajid Ishaq, chairman, Pakistan Interfaith League (PIL) while talking to ‘The News’ here evening.

“What we have seen over the last week and the reaction that continues to pour in from general public, the social media as well as the print and electronic media, not only from within but from abroad as well, it has become even more important to create and promote religious tolerance,” Sajid Ishaq said.

“It would be highly beneficial to initiate a meaningful interfaith dialogue at this particular juncture amongst the leaders and religious heads of different communities.

“We have to understand that the non-Muslim communities in Pakistan are greatly backward and uneducated. They are ignorant to various sensitivities of the society because of lack of awareness and they obviously are frightened and feel insecure,” Sajid Ishaq added.

A meaningful interfaith dialogue will help formulate a plan through which the religious leaders of the non-Muslim minority communities may launch an awareness campaign amongst their followers, sensitizing them about such issues and guiding them as to what to do to promote interfaith harmony and give and receive respect and live in peace as Pakistanis.

“Sending out congratulatory messages on holy festivals of the religious minority communities by the Prime Minister or some other ministers of the government is a good gesture but hardly enough to promote interfaith harmony and understanding.

“It would be highly appreciable if the Ministry of Religious Affairs and that of Minority Affairs may take an initiative to bring the leaders and religious heads of all the minority communities as well as the Muslim scholars and leaders to sit together and talk about these sensitive issues and find a way that may help prevent unpleasant situations erupting in future,” Sajid Ishaq said.