By Mohammad Jamil
A three-day seminar titled “Practical and Theoretical Aspects of Peace and Conflict in a Deeply Local but Globalized World” at Shaikh Ayaz Auditorium of Faculty of Arts building, University of Sindh Jamshoro organized by the University of Sindh, Jamshoro in collaboration with Higher Education Commission Islamabad. While addressing the inaugural session the speakers underlined the need of combined efforts for spreading the message of love and peace in order to ensure a peaceful, happy and progressive society. Almost all speakers highlighted the point that Pakistan is a peace-loving state and it possesses culture characterized predominantly by the core human values and essential humanitarian traditions, like peaceful co-existence, social harmony, tolerance, and respect for civil liberties, love and welfare of all irrespective of caste, creed and religion. Indeed, holding of such seminars would help achieve laudable objective of peace in the society.
Dr. Ziaul Haq of International Islamic University Islamabad while delivering his speech on ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’, said that the objective of creating Pakistan was to make a true Islamic welfare state with peace and love as well as protection of the rights of the people, both Muslims and Non-Muslims. However, he said that due to delay in forming the national narrative into this direction, the country suffered great losses with conflicts on the basis of fundamentalism, extremism and sectarianism. The country had witnessed a lot of bloodshed as a result of terrorism and there is a need to bring peace and tranquility, he said, adding that around two thousand “Ulama” and “Muftis” signed a joint “Fatwa” declaring terrorism in the name of religion is against the norms of Islam. The document is indeed a good attempt to make Pakistan an ideal state, where people could live in harmony.
Of course, a lot needs to be done to ensure socio-economic justice in the society, and it is imperative to formulate policies that could lead to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. Islam is the religions of peace and harmony, and stands for love and affection, moderation and enlightenment and respect for humanity. But the fraternity’s extremist strands with their shenanigans have given a handle to the compulsive detractors of our noble religion to depict it as a creed of violence and bloodletting. The Vice Chancellor University of Sindh Professor Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat while speaking on the occasion said: “Pakistan’s significant contribution toward combating terrorism and promoting peace in the world serves as a bright luminous chapter in the global annals. A strong natural longing for peace ran in the blood of people of Pakistan due to centuries-long teachings and influence of Sufi saints”.
Unfortunately, terrorists, who claim as true followers of Islamic teachings, in fact negate the Islamic teachings of peace, love, humanity and kindness. It is because of those misguided elements that Islam is one of the most misunderstood religions of the world whose real spirit is being intentionally concealed and distorted. It is deplorable fact that some Muslims are also contributing to the flawed perception of Islam due to their ignorance and limited knowledge. The fact of the matter is that Islam was revealed for the guidance and betterment of humanity to ensure the rights of all human beings irrespective of color, creed and religion. The responsibility to enforce the Paigham-e-Pakistan is laid on three entities: the academic/religious institutions, the government institutions, and the mosques. The curriculum, it is advised, should teach the ethics of disagreement and the pulpit of the mosque should be used to generate feelings of welfare among the people.