ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday urged religious scholars to support Islamabad in its fight against “terrorism,” urging them to inform the masses that Islam discourages anti-state activities.
Naqvi’s statement comes as Pakistan battles a fierce insurgency in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province led by the militant Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or Pakistani Taliban group. The TTP has carried out attacks against civilians and law enforcers over the years to impose its strict version of Islamic law in Pakistan.
Pakistan has sought the support of religious scholars or ulema against militant outfits that use religion to recruit militants. The South Asian country has grappled with a surge in militant attacks, mostly in KP, since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2001.
“My request to you is that you should definitely tell people that if you are standing against the state, whether it is in the form of terrorism or anything other form, then what does Islam say about it,” Naqvi told religious scholars at a special meeting of the Paigham-e-Aman Committee in Islamabad.
The Paigham-e-Aman Committee is a government body that comprises religious scholars, spiritual leaders, minority representatives, and government ministers. It aims to promote peace and develop a unified narrative against extremism, “terrorism,” sectarianism and hate speech.”
Naqvi urged religious scholars to remain in contact with the government and support it against militancy throughout the year.
The interior minister noted that there are always tensions between the masses and religious scholars on several issues. He urged religious scholars to focus on themselves and avoid judging others or issuing inflammatory statements about other sects and religions.
“The problem is that we don’t think about ourselves, our religious scholars have a problem with what is happening in the nearby mosque or church,” he said.
He warned that Pakistan’s government cannot allow people to criticize other religions and sects in whatever manner they deem fit.
