At Cairo summit, Pakistan minister hails women for addressing religious intolerance, promoting peace

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs minister, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, highlighted the role of women in addressing contemporary issues such as religious intolerance and global peace as he addressed an international summit in Cairo, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday.
Hussain addressed the 35th international conference of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, being held in Egypt on August 25-26, on “the Role of Women in Building Awareness.” The two-day conference aims to appreciate women and highlight their role in building a family, a society and a nation.
Hussain said women had a “cardinal role” in creating awareness across religious, cultural, societal and familial domains, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The role of women in building awareness, particularly in spreading knowledge, promoting good and upholding justice, is well-recognized in Islam,” he was quoted as saying.
“Religious awareness is fundamental in fostering mutual respect and understanding among diverse communities and women have played a transformative role in this arena.”
The minister noted that women had historically been at the heart of religious education, guiding families and communities in spiritual matters across cultures.
He acknowledged the “profound contributions” of Egypt, particularly Al-Azhar University, in nurturing Islamic scholarship and fostering a deep understanding of the faith.
Pakistan and Egypt enjoy cordial ties with each another. Friendly ties between the two countries can be traced back to 1947 when Pakistan gained independence and its founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, visited Egypt at the special invitation of King Fuad II.
The two countries have resolved to enhance bilateral trade in recent years by facilitating businessmen through visas, trade-related information and private sector contacts.