Conference On Interfaith Harmony Calls For Maintaining Sanctity Of Religious Sentiments

The Interfaith Harmony Conference 2022 held here on Tuesday recommended comprehensive and coordinated efforts to further strengthen interfaith harmony for peace, progress and prosperity of the country

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th May, 2022 ) :The Interfaith Harmony Conference 2022 held here on Tuesday recommended comprehensive and coordinated efforts to further strengthen interfaith harmony for peace, progress and prosperity of the country.

The conference titled 'Respect for Humanity and Interfaith Harmony' was organised by ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and Ullema, religious scholar and leaders belonging to Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhs, Parsi, Bahae, and others beliefs addressed the conference.

A declaration issued at culmination of the conference recommended enactment of guiding principals of 'Meesaq-e-Madina' and Quaid-e-Azam Muhamad Ali Jinnah's historic speech to constitutional assembly about inter-faith harmony and peaceful coexistence in letter and spirit.

The conference further recommended observing religious days of minority communities on government level by provinces like the Federal government, dissemination of 'Paigham-e-Pakistan' narrative to masses and extending ambit of National Minorities Commission and its linkage with district level situation.

The conference also stressed on need of maintaining sanctity of prayer places of all the religions and beliefs, averting from inciting statements, resolution of conflicts through mutual consultation and dialogue, and developing curriculum that supports and nurtures inter faith harmony.

The participants of the conference also agreed upon legislation on the subject, urged proactive role of media for advocacy of inter faith harmony and its importance and called for discouragement of hate material targeting any religion or belief.

Speaking at the occasion Chairman National minorities commission Chela Ram Kewlani lauded government of Pakistan for protection of rights of minority communities which were enjoying freedom to practice their religion and beliefs.

He said that philanthropists belonging to Parsi, Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities in past played significant role for service of humanity particularly in health and education sectors.

Tradition of interfaith harmony and tolerance in the Pakistan were centuries old and all the citizens of Pakistan have to work jointly for progress and prosperity of the homeland, he said adding that Pakistan is our identity and it was duty of every patriot Pakistani to keep eye on elements who were spreading hatred and turbulence in the society so that their nefarious designs could be thwarted.

Chairman NMC also raised the issue of conversion of young and adolescent Hindu girls to islam and stressed n the need of legislation in the regard.

Mufti Abubakar Mohyud din, Cardinal Joseph Colts, Syed Zafar Abbas, Asar Mal Manglani, Pir Syed Muhammad Shah, Moulana Azam Jahangiri and Ahsan Imam said that people from all the religions and sects should own the common heritage and find out similarities to materialize the concept f inter faith harmony.

They suggested that head of the minority commission should always be nominated from minority communities and public events be organized to impart awareness to masses.

Additional Advocate General Sindh, Kalpana Devi, hailed Pakistan government for opening Kartarpur corridor for Sikh community of India and urged India to replicate the initiative for Pakistani Hindus as their holy places were situated in India.

Moulana Yousuf Kasori, Dr. Jaipal, Syed Ali Karar Naqvi Madam Khursheed Kotwar and Patron in Chief of Pakistan Sikh Council Sardar Ramesh Singh, Alama Ahsan and others said that all the religions profess peace, love and respect for humanity and inter faith harmony while all the minority communities love Pakistan and they will foil all the nefarious designs of enemies of the homeland by their exemplary unity, brotherhood and tolerance.