ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said Council is set to escalate its efforts on global scale to foster interfaith dialogue and harmony.

Addressing international media in connection with ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’, he emphasised that Islamophobia poses grave threat to Muslims worldwide.

Ashrafi urged world powers to accelerate initiatives to eradicate Islamophobia, labeling it as toxic barrier hindering interfaith harmony.

He called upon United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and other international bodies to champion initiatives aimed at eradicating all forms of discrimination while nurturing culture of love, tolerance and coexistence.

He stressed that Islam embodies peace, love and tolerance, emphasising teachings of Allah Almighty and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ashrafi lamented incitement of non-Muslims against Islam, attributing it to misinformation and hatred propagated against Islamic teachings.

Recognising Islamophobia as crime, Ashrafi highlighted designation of March 15 as ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’ by United Nations, milestone achieved through collaborative efforts involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and other entities.

Ashrafi emphasised urgency of addressing global anti-Muslim sentiment, branding discrimination as significant threat to world peace. He underscored need to clarify distinction between Jihad and terrorism through dialogue, particularly in aftermath of 9/11 attacks, which fueled widespread misconceptions about Islam and Muslims in Western world.

Ashrafi said, pledged to intensify its global endeavours for interfaith dialogue and harmony, culminating in an upcoming international conference themed ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ is in Islamabad after Ramadhan.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 18 2024

Like Business on Facebook, follow @DailyNCourier on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.