ISLAMABAD, June 22: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has asked the Council of Islamic Ideology to work pro-actively for fostering tolerance and harmony in the society.

Addressing members of the newly-constituted council on Tuesday, the president said the constitutional body should work independently to carry out its mandated task of reviewing laws in accordance with the Shariat and the Sunnat of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

The president said that the council was a research-oriented body but its role had become more important in the context of internal challenges facing the nation. The president said one of the major responsibilities of the council was to counter misperceptions against Islam, projecting it as a religion, which stood for tolerance, moderation and progress for all humanity.

Later, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Muhammad Ijazul Haq said that during the meeting, the president was informed about the vision statement adopted by the council in its inaugural session on Monday.

"We apprised the president of the goals and objectives set out in the 'Vision Statement,'" he said. The council, he said, would look at all issues objectively in the light of the Constitution of Pakistan and play its role in promotion of tolerance and harmony.

The meeting at the Aiwan-e-Sadr was also attended by Makhdoom Ali Khan, Attorney-General of Pakistan Vakil Ahmed Khan, Secretary Religious Affairs, Dr Mohammad Khalid Masud, Chairman, CII and members of the council, including Justice Dr Rashid Ahmed Jullundhari, Maulana Abdullah Khilji, Prof Mazhr Saeed Kazmi, Allama Aqeel Turabi, Haji M. Hanif Tayyab, Allama Syed M. Zakir Hussain Shah Sialvi, Dr Munir Ahmed Mughal, Justice (retd) Haziqul Khairi, Syed Daman Ali Shah, and Prof Dr Said Bibi. -APP