With hate speech on the rise worldwide, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, has called for collective efforts to promote inter-religious harmony when he met faith and commu-nity leaders on Thursday.
“It is our collective responsibility to combat intolerance, xenophobia, fanaticism and religious hatred worldwide,” he said at the meeting, held at the Pakistani embassy, while reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to promote inter-faith harmony.
Representatives of various faiths and members of the Pak-American community attended the meeting, with Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali, Chairman of the Muslim Institute, as the chief guest.
They included, Reverend Canon Justin Murff, Executive Director of the Anglican Office for Government & International Affairs; Muhammad Usman Noori of the Al-Mustafa Trust; Yahya Hendi, Director of the Muslim Life and Chaplaincy at Georgetown University, Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry, an interfaith activist, Imam Naeem Baig, Outreach & Interfaith Director Dar Al-Hijra Islamic Centre.
“Sufism has a great history in Pakistan and it has always worked to connect communities and integrate them as one humanity,” the Pakistani envoy told the gathering.
“A cradle of multiple civilizations for centuries, Pakistan’s respect for cultural and religious diversity is part of its national psyche and mores.
“We will continue to nurture that time-honored tradition,” he added. Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali said that Sufi saints in subcontinent had played a vital role in transformation of society.
During thousand years of Muslim rule, he said there had never been any religious conflict among Muslims, Sikhs, and Buddhists, Christians and Zoroastrians and others. Sufism had also helped protect the society from the scourge of terrorism, citing two major fatwas against suicide attacks and terrorism.
Canon Murff, who also represented Archbishop Azad Marshall of the Diocese of Raiwind thanked Pakistan for its commitment towards religious freedom and interfaith harmony.
“In Pakistan, we are aware of our role and op-portunity to be good neighbours and to be a good friend,” Canon Justin Murff said.
Daniel Spiro, also an inter-faith leader said that the most important thing was to inspire the people, enabling them to recognize the beauty of the religion instead of associating it with fundamentalism and intolerance.
Waseem Naqvi, representing Shia community, appreciated the services of Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali for the cause of Pakistan, unity of the Ummah and promoting interfaith harmony in the country and across the world. —APP
