Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said the solution to differences is dialogue not the guns. He said that scientific research is needed to get rid of terrorism and extremism.
While addressing a two-day International Islamic Conference on Peace organized by the Islamic Research Institute of the International Islamic University, he said that the widespread access to social media has allowed extremist elements to propagate negative attitudes. He said wars are now fought on a hybrid level.
Federal Minister said that the main weapon of hybrid war is propaganda of hatred. He said that few elements were attempting to pollute the minds of the people by disseminating lies. Ahsan Iqbal stressed upon the need of the establishment of institutions to curb the uncertainty caused by negative elements.
Talking about the issues of peaceful coexistence in India, he said that the identity of Muslims and Islamic values were at stake in India as Indian government was supporting prejudice against Muslims. He also said that in this globalized era, a conflict or an act of hatred, engulfs the whole world. He opined that effects of the conflict are global, as exemplified by the Russia-Ukraine war. He said that peace and justice are the guarantors of social development and prosperity.
Addressing the conference on the occasion, Rector of the Islamic University, Dr. Masoom Yasinzai said that the conference would be a source of preparing a roadmap for future peace strategy. He said that the graduates of Islamic University are holding prominent positions all over the world and are spreading the message of peace of the university. ۔ The Rector of the university said that the Islamic University would hold Islamic conference on peace every year.
Addressing the conference, the President of the Islamic University, Dr. Hathal Homoud Al-Otaibi, said that Islam promotes peace and peaceful coexistence.