Pakistani top minister in Egypt to attend religious 'harmony' conference

Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri during a press conference on Aug. 11, 2020. (Photo courtesy: Ministry of Religious Affairs)
Short Url
  • The conference will focus on the prospects of initiating inter- and intra-religious dialogues and cultural conversations
  • Pakistani religious affairs minister will meet Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar and deliver PM Khan's special message, official statement says

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's religious affairs minister Pir Noorul Qadri arrived in Egypt on Friday to participate in an international conference organized by Arab countries and focusing on the prospects of initiating inter-and intra-religious dialogues and cultural conversations, a statement said. 

The gathering will bring together ministers and other senior officials focusing on religious matter from different countries.

"Pir Noorul Haq Qadri will meet the Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar and deliver Prime Minister Imran Khan's special message to him," a statement from Qadri's office said.

The Pakistani minister will consult the Egyptian scholar on the issue of Islamophobia and discuss practical steps to deal with the problem.

Al-Azhar University is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university and renowned as one of the most prestigious centers of Islamic learning.

Last month, Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also visited Egypt on a two-day visit and met with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

"Egypt is an important member of the Muslim ummah and is often described as the gateway to Africa," Qureshi said in a video message. "It is our administration's policy to strengthen our relations with the African continent since we believe we have not fully explored its markets yet. It is extremely important for our economic diplomacy to engage with markets in Africa."