ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday called upon ulema to play their role to discourage the phenomenon of fake news and promote Islamic moral values, including tolerance among people to ensure peace and harmony in society.

Addressing the Paigham-i-Pakistan Ulema and Mashaikh Conference, he said fake news had led to destruction of Muslim countries and societies and cited the example of Iraq, which was destroyed on the ground of fake news alleging the presence of weapons of mass destruction in that country.

He said incidents such as the recent Peshawar blast and extrajudicial killing of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot were part of a conspiracy to fan sectarianism and religious extremism in the country.

The conference was organised by the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), with the aim to launch a movement in 2022-23 to create awareness among the masses about social justice and highlight the abuse of modern tools by certain elements to create unrest in society.

Says there is no room for mob justice in Islam

President Alvi said there was no room for mob justice in Islam and that tendency had been promoted by soc­ial media as some youth follow words of their leaders, but these thoughts were their own views which were not based on the principles of Islam.

The president said that mosques and pulpits in the past used to be a source of gui­dance for the people on political and social issues like diplomacy, cleanliness and women’s inheritance rig­hts which had been guaranteed by Islam 1,400 years ago.

President Alvi advised ulema to highlight the importance of human rights instead of indulging in petty differences.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Religious Aff­airs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Nurul Haq Qadri condemned the terror attack at a mosque in Peshawar and said that anti-state elements were trying to destabilise the country by taking advantage of any negligence on the part of ulema.

“There are conspiracies to destabilise Pakistan like Iraq, but we have to keep our resolve that ulema would stand united to safeguard Pakistan,” the minister added.

He highlighted that after the Constitution, Paigham-i-Pakistan was an important document signed by around 7,000 ulema belonging to all schools of thought.

Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Allama Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said it was need of the hour for the ulema to stand with the state against extremism and terrorism.

He said that ulema from all schools of thought had unanimously condemned the attack on a mosque in Peshawar and urged them to create an environment of unity among the masses.

Maulana Ashrafi also und­erscored the need for enhancing consultation between the Council of Islamic Ideology and ulema to address recklessness on social media.

The PUC was among the first organisations in the country declaring suicide attacks and attacks at places of religious minorities as un-Islamic.

Allama Abdul Haq Mujahid, Allama Arif Wahidi and Sahibzada Hassan Haseebur Rehman also spoke at the conference and highlighted the importance of the pulpit’s role to bring about peace and harmony in society.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2022