ISLAMABAD: Religious leaders on Monday condemned the killing of KP assembly member Sardar Soran Singh and asked the government to announce ‘Tamgha-i-Imtiaz’ for the slain lawmaker.

The speakers expressed their resolve to initiate a campaign against terrorism, extremism, sectarian violence and corruption.

The religious leaders were speaking at a gathering organised by Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) to pay homage to the services of Sardar Soran Singh.

PUC chairman Hafiz Mohammad Tahir Ashrafi highlighted the struggle the slain lawmaker made for interfaith harmony and elimination of terrorism in the country.

“Sardar Soran Singh sacrificed his family for the cause of Pakistan,” Mr Ashrafi said, referring to the slain lawmaker’s refusal to leave Pakistan along with his wife, who took divorce and settled in India.

He criticised PTI’s leadership for not taking the assassination of its lawmaker seriously.

Christian leader and president of Pakistan Interfaith Organisation Sajid Ishaq said non-Muslims living in Pakistan did not need to be scared of any group or organisation as Pakistan belonged to non-Muslims as it did to the Muslim population.

Bishop Mazhar Ishaq said it was a ray of hope for non-Muslims in Pakistan that people from different schools of thought and religions had united against the killing of Sardar Soran Singh.

Civil society representative Samina Imtiaz said a conference would be arranged in Peshawar to pay tributes to Sardar Soran Singh for his services.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2016