Pakistani Religious Scholars Call for Interfaith Harmony During Muharram

In a bid to promote religious tolerance and prevent sectarian violence, Pakistani religious scholars have urged the public to adhere to the code of conduct outlined in the “Paigham-e-Pakistan” decree during the Islamic month of Muharram, Arab News reported today.

The Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative was launched over five years ago by Islamic scholars from various denominations in Pakistan. The decree condemns religious militancy and sectarian violence that has plagued the country.

“Ulema-Masaykh of different religious schools of thought has stressed to ensure implementation on the Paigham-e-Pakistan Code of Conduct to ensure peace and religious harmony during the month of Muharram-ul-Harram and to eradicate the menace of extremism, terrorism and intolerance from the country,” a press release stated.

Pakistan has a history of sectarian attacks targeting Shia Muslim processions and gatherings during Muharram, a significant month for the Shia community. The Paigham-e-Pakistan decree aims to address this issue by calling on religious scholars to educate the public on what is right and wrong.

The religious scholars have also pledged to fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies to ensure the code of conduct is upheld. They vowed to not support any scholar found violating the guidelines.

The Paigham-e-Pakistan decree denounces sectarian violence and an “extremist and fundamentalist mindset.” It states that only the state has the authority to determine one’s religious status.