Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday 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 (IRI) of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), 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.
The Federal Minister for Planning said that without empathy it is not possible to resolve conflicts and extremism. ۔ He said that misguided people have hijacked the narrative of Islam, in order to protect the identity of the Islamic world we have to formulate our own narratives. Ahsan Iqbal further said that humanity is suffering from extremism all over the world. Appreciating the role of Islamic University in promoting peace, he said that we are working together with Islamic University for the promotion of peace. Ahsan Iqbal said that the religion of Islam has immense sanctity of human life.
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. He said that the role of universities was pivotal in promoting peace. He said that universities are the only institutions that can train the young generation in accordance with Islamic teachings and the requirements of modern times.
Dr. Hathal said that Pak-Saudi relations are getting stronger with time. He said that the role of Islamic University in promoting peace is exemplary and the highest example of this is the narrative of Pakistan e Pakistan formed by Islamic Research Institute. He said that the graduates of Islamic University hold prominent positions all over the world and are spreading the message of peace of the university. He said that the newly formed five-year strategic plan of the university would open new avenues for development and quality education, while improving the real quality of education was the top priority of university management.
Informing about the aims and objectives of the conference, Dr. Zia-ul-Haq, DG Islamic Research Institute said that the aim of the conference was to defeat hatred and establish peace. He said that the message of Paigham e Pakistan was aimed at promoting peace. He thanked Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif for supervising the conference and Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal for his cooperation in organizing the conference.