ISLAMABAD, Jan 24 (APP): Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, on Tuesday, said desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden was not freedom of expression, but it was an attempt to disrupt world peace.
Addressing a press conference flanked by a couple of Ulema and Mashaykh, here, Ashrafi, who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council, said the Swedish government should take action against the perpetrator and award him an exemplary punishment to stop the re-occurrence of such disgraceful incidents in the future.
He said the desecration of the divine command in Sweden had hurt the religious feelings of almost 1.5 billion Muslims across the world.
“We must register our protest before the international community in a good and peaceful manner so that the world realizes that it is not an issue of freedom of speech but a serious matter of faith of the Muslim Ummah,” he added.
He urged the world community to take adequate measures against Islamophobia.
Seconding the religious decree of renowned scholar Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani and other Ulema and Mashaykh against the rebellious activities of outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, he said the terrorist attacks on the national security institutions were not acceptable anyway and they were against the Islamic Shariah.
He said any kind of armed activity in the pretext of Jihad was not permissible both in the Shariah law and the Constitution.
Clearing the misconception of a particular segment, he said Ulema and Mashaykh of all schools of thought had categorically stated in the national conference that their religion, country, army, and security agencies were redlines for them.
Ashrafi quoting Mufti Taqi Usmani said that the Constitution of Pakistan was purely based on Quran and Sunnah.
He said, “Pakistan is an ideological state which came into existence in the name of Islam and the Constitution of Pakistan provides protection to every citizen living in the country whether he is a Muslim or a non-Muslim.”
He said, on coming Friday, the joint declaration issued by the Ulema and Mashaykh would be highlighted and resolutions would be adopted to condemn the abhorrent incident of desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden.
Ashrafi said peace and security were two main components to get the country out of the prevailing economic crisis.
He urged the political and religious leaders to reach a consensus for the economic development of the country just as the Ulema and Mashaykh had united against extremism and sectarianism with the help of Paigham-e-Pakistan.
He said it was crucial to sit together at one table to strengthen Pakistan socially and economically. It was not possible to conduct the elections from time to time as the country was facing a severe financial crunch these days, he added.
Ashrafi, on behalf of the Ulema and Mashaykh, appealed to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan to resolve issues through dialogue, also adding that there was a dire need of ‘Charter of Pakistan’ which should be on social and economic affairs as “the solution of all issues lies in the economic pact”.
In the end, he urged the philanthropists to financially support the impoverished segment of society as they were living below the poverty line due to the rapid inflation in the country.
