ISLAMABAD: A National Peace Convention held here on Sunday to promote sectarian harmony lashed out at the government for trying to hold peace talks with the Taliban and called for dealing firmly with terrorists.

Speaking at the convention held at D-Chowk, leaders and members of organisations belonging to different religious sects – Muttahida Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, Sunni Ittehad Council and Voice of Shuhada Pakistan – announced that they would demonstrate complete unity and harmony by jointly celebrating Eid Miladun Nabi.

According to a press release, a declaration issued at the end of the convention announced that they would launch a joint struggle against anti-Pakistan forces, setting aside sectarian or ethnic divide.

“We will not forgive the killers who are actually enemies of Pakistan and never let them achieve their nefarious designs. We will hold peace conferences at provincial and district levels across the country.

“We will not let anyone violate Pakistan’s constitution and will also oppose foreign interference in the country’s affairs. We will not let the US and Saudi Arabia to achieve their objectives.”

Describing the PML-N government as political Taliban, the declaration said: “We resolve to give tough time to the government. We will establish a council of patriots which would be a joint platform for all moderate political, religious and social entities.”

Addressing the gathering, the Secretary General of the Muttahida Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, Allama Abbas Nasir Jafferi, criticised the government for not allowing them to hold the conference at the Convention Centre, forcing them to organise it on the road.

“This Rabi-ul-Awwal will witness exemplary association between Shias and Sunnis and both will celebrate Eid Miladun Nabi together,” he said.

He said the issue of terrorism could not be resolved through talks, adding that the terrorists must be dealt with an iron hand. He said the nation did not believe in a ‘dialogue drama’ with the TTP because terrorists were enemies of Pakistan and Islam.

Chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council Sahibzada Hamid Raza said Chaudhry Nisar Ali was acting like a TTP representative, and not as the country’s interior minister.

Sahibzada Ammar Saeed, Allama Sadiq Taqvi, Mufti Mohammad Saeed, Syed Ahmad Iqbal Rizvi, Tariq Mehboob, Asad Jadoon and Senator Faisal Raza Abidi also spoke on the occasion.