Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday underlined the need for forging unity amongst Muslim Ummah to confront the challenges of terrorism and extremism.
Talking to Iraq’s Under Secretary for Legal Affairs and Multilateral Relations Dr Omar Al-Berzinji at the Parliament House, the National Assembly speaker said that Muslims should rectify the distorted image of Islam which was being projected by the extremists.
The speaker said that Islam is a religion of peace and abhors terrorism and extremism in its all forms and manifestations. He said that negative western propaganda had distorted the image of Islam and presented it as an intolerant and violent religion. He asserted that terrorists had no nationality or religion.
He informed the visiting dignitary about his efforts for bringing the Muslim Ummah together through parliamentary diplomacy. He said that he was in contact with Muslim members of the Inter Parliamentary Union for bringing a resolution condemning Israeli atrocities committed against innocent Palestinians in its next meeting scheduled to be held early next year.
The speaker said that Pakistan had been fighting against terrorism and extremism for more than a decade and had suffered immense economic loss in addition to loss of precious human lives and damage to infrastructure. He said that the present government was committed to rooting out this menace from the country for which a military operation was underway which would last till the elimination of the last terrorist.
Referring to its brotherly ties with Iraq, the Speaker said that Pakistan attaches immense importance to its historic relations with Iraq that are rooted in religion, history and culture. He said that the government and the Parliament of Pakistan stood firm with their Iraqi brethren in war against terrorism and would offer all possible support for the reconstruction initiatives in Iraq. He also apprised the dignitary about the constitution of Pakistan-Iraq Parliamentary Friendship Group in National Assembly terming it an effective way to bring the two nations especially their parliaments closer.
Dr Omar Al-Berzinji expressed his gratitude to the speaker for his remarks and said that Iraq also attached immense importance to its relations with Pakistan and desired to further consolidate mutual ties through parliamentary and economic cooperation. He agreed that dispelling negative propaganda against Islam should be the priority of the Muslim Ummah and assured his government’s support in that regard. He also agreed to enhance parliamentary contacts between legislatures of the two countries.