ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Senator Pervez Rasheed on Thursday lauded religious figures opposing extremism, saying they are waging an ideological Zarb-i-Azb.

“The threat faced by clerics and religious figures opposing the fanatics is not less than the dangers encountered by the army which is engaged in the operation Zarb-i-Azb against terrorists,” he said.

“But without countering the extremist ideology, the military-led operation will never succeed.”

Speaking at the “National Niday-i-Ummat conference”, the minister said terrorists can continue waging a war for years if they did not stop believing in their misled philosophies about Islam.

“All arms, ammunition and suicide jackets would be rendered useless if the ideological war succeeds over their corrupted minds,” he added.

The conference was organised by Pakistan Ulema Council, led by progressive cleric Allama Hafiz Mohammad Tahir Ashrafi, who has even spearheaded a campaign against lodging of false blasphemy cases against Muslims and non-Muslims across the country.

The information minister said religious figures who had been opposing the extremists faced attacks in the hands of terrorists.

He said terrorists even attacked Masjid-i-Nabvi which showed that they had no association with the Muslims and Islam. He said Ulema should work to eliminate terrorism and extremism.

He also said security and stability of Saudi Arabia was necessary for peace and security of Pakistan, adding Pakistan had been making endeavours for peace, security and stability in the entire Muslim world.

The conference expressed concerns over the prevailing situation in Palestine, Kashmir, Syria and Yemen and appealed to the UN, OIC and other world organisations to end the ongoing oppression and cruelties in Kashmir and Palestine.

Another resolution adopted by the participants condemned foreign interferences in Islamic countries, particularly in the Arab countries.

Saudi Ambassador Abdullah Marzouk Al Zahrani also made a rare participation in any public event during his one-year stay in the country and addressed the conference.

He said terrorists had no linkage with Muslims and Islam, adding elements who carried out the suicide bomb attack in Quetta were the real enemies of Islam and the Muslims.

He called upon the Ulema to educate the young Muslims about the propaganda of terrorist organisations.

Palestinian Ambassador Waleed Abu Ali, Egyptian Ambassador and the director of Rabita Alam-i-Islami Abda Ateen along with diplomats from Germany and Norway also participated in the conference.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2016