ISLAMABAD, Dec 21: There is need for sectarian harmony as it is essential to the country's development and prosperity, says Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. He was talking to a 56-member delegation of the Jafferia Alliance led by Senator Muhammad Abbas Kumaili here on Tuesday.

Mr Aziz said that Pakistan was an enlightened and moderate state where followers of all sects were free to live according to their faith and the government was striving for peace and harmony, which were essential for development and prosperity.

The prime minister urged ulema to guide people and enable them to guard themselves against regressive elements who wanted to impede progress by creating differences in the society.

He termed enemies of development and prosperity enemies of the country and said they were trying to misguide the people through false and baseless propaganda.

Highlighted constructive aspects of Islam, the prime minister said it condemned violence in the name of sectarianism and that Muslims were a peace loving people. They, he said, needed to promote this aspect of Muslimhood to remove the negative propaganda unleashed by what he termed enemies of Islam.

Meanwhile, the prime minister on Tuesday constituted a committee on 'climate change' to discuss the impact of global climatic changes on Pakistan. The committee, headed by the prime minister, would include ministers for environment, science and technology, water and power and food and agriculture and chairman of the global change impact studies centre and advisor to the prime minister Dr Ishfaq Ahmed.

The committee will focus on climatic changes impact on Pakistan agriculture water availability, health and other sectors and devise measures to meet the challenge.

The decision came as result of a presentation on Global Climate Change and Pakistan provided by Global Change Impact Studies Centre at the prime minister's house on Tuesday. Prime minister directed Pakistan Meteorological Department to actively pursue acquisition of and safe storage of local and global weather and climate date.