ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) has asked the government to implement the National Action Plan in letter and spirit to root out sectarianism from the country.

The demand was made at the ‘Unity of Ummah Conference’ organised by the PUC here on Wednesday.

Speakers at the conference called for promoting coherence and unity among Muslims and denounced the activities of proscribed groups which were creating divisions in society.

The joint declaration of the conference supported the Operation Raddul Fasad, condemned the killing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and decided to establish ‘national reconciliatory council’ committees all over the country.

‘Code of conduct’ to maintain peace during Muharram released

The conference, attended by clerics belonging to various schools of thought, adopted a resolution which stressed the need for eradicating extremism and sectarian violence through promotion of interfaith and intra-faith dialogue.

The conference elected Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi as chairman of the ‘National Reconciliatory Council’ and Mohammad Musawar Abbasi as its general secretary

The conference released a 10-point ‘code of conduct’ for all sects to maintain peace during Muharram.

The code stated that there is no space for terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence in the name of Islam and called upon the leadership of all sects to disassociate themselves from elements involved in sectarian violence, terrorism and extremism.

The code stated that no Islamic sect can be declared ‘infidel’ and no Muslim or non-Muslim should be declared ‘deserving death’ and people of Pakistan and believers of all religious sects will live their lives as per the rights enshrined in the Constitution.

The code called upon scholars, orators and clerics not to use sacrilegious remarks for prophets, family and wives of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), caliphs, Imams and Imam Mehdi, and said no religious sect should support or endorse any blasphemer.

The conference said that it was the responsibility of the government to ensure protection of sacred places and places of worship belonging to all sects and religions.

The joint declaration expressed solidarity with the Muslims of Myanmar, Kashmir, Palestine and Syria.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2017