Harmony councils being set up, says Tahir Ashrafi

LAHORE:Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman and Special Representative to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Monday announced that Interreligious Harmony Councils were being established all over the country from December 01 to promote interfaith harmony. Talking to visiting delegates of different religious schools of thought here Monday, he said that consultation was being made with political and religious leadership of the country, including Council of Islamic Ideology to end child marriage issues. Elements responsible for fanning blasphemy instances wanted to create chaos, he said, adding freedom of expression did not mean to target religious sentiments of the followers of other religions.

Misuse of blasphemy laws has been contained to a large extent in the country, said Tahir Ashrafi adding that Constitution of Pakistan categorically defines rights for each and every Pakistani irrespective of their religious faiths. He said that any organisation, individual and group could not impose their thinking and beliefs on others. Religious scholars, including Ziaullah Bukhari, Muhammad Khan Leghari, Muhammad Shafi Qasmi, Allama Tahirul Hassan, Hafiz Kazim Raza, Ubaidullah Gormani, Aseed-ur-Rehman Saeed, Abu Bakar Sabri, Hafizur Rehman and others were also present.