War of ideologies never fought with guns but through dialogue: Fawad

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Sunday said the war of ideologies was never fought with guns, rather the same could be won through arguments and dialogue.

Unfortunately those spreading rifts and disharmony in the society were devoid of any logic, he said, adding that there was no political crisis in Pakistan, rather it was an ideological one.

He was addressing a seminar titled 'Adam Bardasht Ka Rujhan Aur Riyasat ki Zummadariya' (Tendency of Intolerance and State's Responsibilities), organized here by the Pakistan Journalists Foundation (PJF).

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would extend support to all those Ulema, Mashaikh and religious leaders, who advocated peace, tolerance and harmony in the society through logic and dialogue.

The minister said the country was faced with a 'Fikri' (ideological ) crisis, which was evident from the situation arisen due to the Supreme Court 's judgment in Asia Bibi case.

It was not an institutional or state crisis, but social intolerance, which served the interests of those who wanted to achieve their political motives in the name of religion. "Such create a new issue in the name of religion every now and then," he added.

The religious circles, he said, should have rebelled against those who had created chaotic situation in the country in the name of religion. But unfortunately, it did not happen in case of Pakistan which had to suffer for long due to war in neighbouring Afghanistan, which had cast negative impacts on the the ideology and thought of its people towards the state.

He cited that in Afghanistan, religious and other people, who talked with logic, were killed by those, who believed only in power of gun and consequently the society was left with no leader.

The same situation, he said, also prevailed in Pakistan, as the past governments did not back the people, who advocated for peace, condemning terrorism and extremism in the light of Islamic teachings.

In that clash of narratives, he said, a number of Ulema, including Maulana Hassan Jan and Maulana Sarfraz Naeemi, had also to sacrifice their lives.

The minister said things had now changed substantially as the people knew the elements who were exploiting religion for their political gains.

Fawad called upon Ulema, Mashaikh and other religious leaders and the society to take ownership and play their role in the clash of ideology by promoting the values of peace, tolerance and harmony in the society.

The incumbent government would fully support them in promoting the true narrative of religion through peaceful and logical dialogue, he added.

He said, "Prime Minister Imran Khan is a true lover of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and he landed bare-footed in Madina."

For the first time in Pakistan, he said, a prime minister had talked about 2.5 million children of madaras (religious seminaries) and thought of their well-being, besides bringing them into the national mainstream.

Pir Syed Kabir Ali Shah Gilani of Choora Sharif stressed for comprehending the myth of Siyasat-e-Madina for replicating the model of Riyasat-e-Madina in Pakistan.

Pakistan's former ambassador to Iran Khalid Sharif said the Ulema, Mashaikh and religious leaders must play their due role to curb sectarianism.

The seminar was also addressed by renowned journalists Sajjad Mir, Zia Shahid, Qayyum Nizami, Dr Sughra Sadaf, Dr Raghib Naeemi, PJF Chairman Zulfiqar Rahat, Gen (Retd) Ghulam Mustafa, Ali Ahmed Dhilon, Farrukh Sohail and Haider Mehdi.

They stressed the need for promoting tolerance in the society by highlighting the lifestyle of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), incorporating the same in the educational curricula. The state should also fulfill its responsibilities to discourage the elements creating anarchy in the name of religion and take effective measures to end the tendency of intolerance in the society, they added.