Staff Report
The government is striving hard to promote inclusiveness, tolerance and peace in the society and all western propaganda about spread of extremism in Pakistani society is baseless and unfounded.
Reports on social media have been circulating recently regarding alleged recruitment of terrorists in Pakistan and religious hardliners turning to universities to find out potential recruits. Reacting to a propaganda report by journalist Taha Siddiqui for an international TV channel, a senior government official said such reports are part of an international campaign launched on the behest of anti-Pakistan forces in connivance with the western agents in Pakistan to malign the country, Islam and the Muslims.
He said just a day before, Prime Minister Imran Khan in his remarks in New York underscored that the religion has nothing to do with terrorism. Noting the growing incidents of discrimination and violence based on religion and belief, the prime minister also warned against attempts to denigrate the revered personalities and scriptures cloaked in right to freedom of expression and opinion.
The official said the federal cabinet has recently approved a plan to mainstream religious seminaries and allocated a huge amount of Rs 1.9 billion for setting up a directorate general of religious education, regional centres and so on. He said universities and educational institutes are imparting quality education in the country and reports of presence of extremists and terrorist are speculative and groundless.
