PAKISTAN A CROSSROAD OF CIVILIZATION, EXHIBITS PLURALIST APPROACHES; SAYS MUSHAHID HUSSAIN

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed has said Pakistan has very dynamic and pluralist society always exhibits peace, prosperity and co-existence. Obama’s visit to Mosque is positive omen, Western community also to condemn islamophobia and prejudices on the bases of creed, cast and religion; labelling and reshaping the facts  by media must be stopped. He expressed these views while addressing in an international interdisciplinary conference on “Grassroots Approaches to US-Pakistan Relations” organized by Iqbal international Institute for Research and Dialogue (IIIRD) of International Islamic University (IIUI) and Intersections International of United States of America (USA). The first session of the conference was also addressed by Mr. Reverend Robert Chase, Founding Director Intersections International USA and Dr. Ahmed Yousif Al-Driaweesh President IIUI. The moot witnessed prudent discussion on peace, education and different aspects of Pak-US relations by prominent American and Pakistani academicians and religious leaders and international relations specialists. Mushahid Hussain very briefly threw light on historical background of US-Pakistan relations, its development and evolution with circumstantial upheavals. He stressed to have collective approaches to address common enemy of humanity while saying terrorism, extremism and like violent attitudes have room neither in Islam nor any religion of the world; Mushahid Hussain also strongly condemned every form of terrorism. In his welcome address Dr. Ahmad Yousif said true Muslim leaderships always struggled for world peace and brotherhood and they are bind with core objective to struggle for promoting peace and harmony. “Role of the religious leaderships in international peace and security is among the important issues that imperatively need to be discussed at such forums”. He further added.  Dr. Al-Draiweesh was of the view that every community needs to redefine its approaches and must strengthen human values with true sense of justice, tolerance and pluralist thoughts. Mr. Reverend Robert Chase pleased to be a participant of consortium of such important cause. He wished to have more dialogues and interactions with scholars of both the countries for the cause to bring the people from both sides close. Dr. Talib Hussain Sial Director Programs IRD thanked all the guests and participants of the conference while saying that the conference would help to promote and strengthen the public opinion about US Pakistan relations.