World Interfaith Harmony Week celebrated

Lahore : Universal Interfaith Peace Mission (UIPM) organised World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) 2017 of United Nations here on Tuesday.

Jean Francois Cautain, Ambassador Delegation of European Union to Pakistan was the chief guest while Universal Interfaith Peace Mission Chairman Allama Dr GR Chishti, PML-N Zia President Ijaz ul Haq, Tikka Khan Abbasi, lifetime general secretary, All Pakistan Hawkers Association, Zubair Farooq of URI and Mrs Tasneem, Youth Trainer URI and members of minorities in large numbers were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion Jean Francois Cautain supported Universal Interfaith Peace Mission’s initiative for promotion of interfaith harmony. He extended his all out support to the organisation for promoting peace, tolerance and bringing positive change and creating culture of love, mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence as well as culture of dialogue in the region.
UIPM Chairman Allama Dr GR Chishti in his welcome address highlighted the importance of interfaith harmony for global peace and prosperity and drew the attention of audience towards the most persisting hurdles and hindrances in the way of interfaith harmony. He pointed out that being a Muslim country and also a signatory to Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Freedom 1948 of United Nations confusion persists in society as to which law it has to abide by; national or international due to their contrasting natures.
Dr Chishti explained in detail as how extremist elements have flooded the world with literature containing abhorrence and hatred, and their so-called Islamic interpretations are basic hurdles in way of interfaith harmony.
He said that all these ideas are widely spread into the masses not only in Pakistan but into the whole Muslim world as well, created and formed by extremists as suited to them, until these ideas are not cured, dispelled and removed, we do not think there can be any scope for interfaith harmony.
“However, there is only light to clear this all darkness and that is Common Word Movement started by King Abdullah II of Jordan, the member of the family of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and the guardian of the three monotheistic religions`, sacred places i.e. Muslims, Jews and Christians equally. The documents of Amman’s Message and Common Word contain cure to the above mentioned diseases. This is the document that gave birth to “World Interfaith Harmony Week of UN”-we are celebrating. It would work if the world joins hands to impose these documents officially into the Muslim countries which are members of the UN.
Dr Chishti said that Universal Interfaith Peace Mission has officially adopted the Common Word and had requested Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony to make it part of the national educational curriculum so that culture of interfaith harmony may prevail. “We declare that the ideas floated by extremists are false and have created hatred; and we need help and support to clarify the situation to the masses in its right form to bring positive change and create culture of love, peace and interfaith harmony, mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence as well as culture of dialogue,” he added.