Endorsing operation against terrorism, speakers called for unity among all the ranks to win war against the elements creating unrest in the country and bringing bad name to Islam.
They vowed complete support to the armed forces in its resolve to purge the country from the menace of terrorism.
They were speaking at a peace conference titled ‘Rasool-e-Azam Aman Conference’ held under the aegis of Majlis Wahdat ul Muslimeen (MWM) at Aiwan-e-Iqbal on Sunday.
The conference was attended PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, PML-N leader Sheikh Waqas Akram, PPP’s Barrister Amir Hassan, PAT president Dr Raheeq Abbasi and Allama Raghib Naeemi. MWM secretary general Raja Nasir Abbas steered the peace moot.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that terrorism had been prevailing in Pakistan and claimed many innocent lives. The Peshawar incident, he said, had jolted the entire nation and compelled civil, military leadership to be on same page against terrorism.
He said that the National Action Plan took place with the insistence of all the political parties to the government and it was the need of the hour that entire nation unite against the extremist elements.
He said that for the last many years, terrorists had caused huge loss to the country and towering leaders like Benazir Bhutto were targeted and her assassins were still not arrested but the operation against terrorism under National Action Plan would definitely get the assassins of the political leadership as well as attacks on the general population.
PTI senior leader said: “We need to check why our judicial system has failed to convict terrorist? do we provide enough security to judges? do we properly equip police to counter terrorism?”
He added: “We are proud of Army, brave soldiers who are rendering great sacrifices in operation Zarb-e-Azb.”
PML-N leader Sheikh Waqas Akram said that the leaders of this nation had protected their own children at the cost of others and now it was time to act as true leaders and muster up the courage to call a spade a spade and fight against the terrorist mindset.
He added, “Whether you’re a judge, politician or a common man, you have to reject them, it is no more a Shia and Sunni fight, it is fight of entire nation.”
He said that the innocent children who were slain in Peshawar, were not targeted in connection with Shia-Sunni strife. We should unite against the Taliban-like forces and mindset, he added. He said that talks with barbaric elements could never succeed and they could be only be dealt with force.
PPP leader Barrister Amir Hassan said that there was a dire need to shutdown the religious seminaries which were imparting training to extremists.
He said that the entire nation had got united against the mindset bringing bad name to Islam and the debate of ‘Good and Bad Taliban was over for good now.
PAT central president Dr Raheeq Abbasi said that concept of ‘Jihad’ had been wrongly interpreted and the misguided elements were following a mindset which had weakened the roots of federation, besides bringing bad name to Islam.
He said that fighting the war against terrorism was two-front struggle of which one front belongs to Pak Army which had been fulfilling its responsibility with utmost dedication, while the second front belongs to ulemas and they have to play an important role portraying the true picture of Islam.
He said that the PAT chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri had suggested removal of the lessons from school, college syllabus which were meant to create biases among students.
Allama Raghib Naeemi, head of Jamia Naeemia, said: “We want complete elimination of anti-state elements and fully endorses legislation against terrorism.”
“We are ready to render any sacrifice and go to any extent to support restoration of durable peace in the country. Peshawar tragedy proved that Pakistan isn’t supporting terrorism but in fact its people are a victim of it,” he added.
MWM secretary general Raja Nasir Abbas said that the leadership of the country must possess the quality of foreseeing and take steps at a time when they were needed rather than delaying and they should not forget the Peshawar massacre.
He said that war against terrorism wasn’t the fight of secular or liberals but this was now a fight between human beings and inhuman elements who were bent upon eliminating all those who didn’t endorse their agenda.
He added that Molvi Hassan Jan and Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi, two great scholars were targeted by these elements just because the two didn’t endorse their agenda and raised voice against them.
Raja Nasir said that the mindset promoting terrorism need to be defeated, besides crushing the armed, political and ideological wings of nurseries of terror.
Tahawar Abbas from ISO in his address on the occasion said that the basic need of our nation is restoration of peace of the society and efforts of the MWM in this regard were commendable. He said only Islam provides the solution of the problems faced by the entire world and having felt threatened from the popularity of this religion, anti Islam elements had hatched conspiracy against us.
The ruling elite had a key role in addressing the grievances faced by our weak people and there was a dire need to promote unity to combat any conspiracy hatched by our enemies and purge our country from those who were tarnishing our image worldwide.
Nasir Shirazi, head of MWM ‘s political wing stated that there a difference between ‘difference of opinion and disrespect’ and the terrorists, who were showing no respect to humanity must be paid back in the same coin. Over Shia killings, Nasir said ‘we are the natural defence’ of Pakistan and were those who buried our martyrs after wrapping them in national flag in Quetta where anti Pakistan elements were not allowing anyone to hoist the green flag. He said for Pakistan, we were ready to go any extent.
He paid rich tribute to Aitezaz Hassan Bangash, a 14 years old boy of district Hangu who sacrificed his life to save many others and added if the government had prevented target killings in Karachi, massacre in Quetta and other parts, Peshawar incident would have never occurred.
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