RAWALPINDI, July 29: British Minister for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears has said religious seminaries can play a pivotal role in curbing the menace of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan.

She was talking to media persons during her visit to Darul Uloom Mohammadia Ghausia in Bhera Sharif on Tuesday.

Principal of the Darul Uloom Syed Aminul Hasnat took her around different departments of the madressah and told her that besides religious education the students were also being taught the subjects of science and technology.

The British minister said modern education played a vital role in the uplift of nations. She said madressahs fostered love, peace and harmony among all religions through the prevailing mode of education. Interfaith harmony is inevitable, she stressed. She said religions spread the message of love and unity. However, some extremists were maligning the madressahs, she added. She underscored the need for launching programs on student delegation exchanges as they help forge mutual understanding.—Online