Seminar on “Interfaith Harmony in Sindh”
The Knowledge Forum (TKF) in consultation with the Sindh Madressatul Islam University, organised a seminar on “Interfaith Harmony in Sindh” at the university premises on May 12, 2022.
Academics, human rights activists, government officials and civil society members addressed the seminar. They expressed serious concern over increasing intolerance in society and underlined the need for the promotion of Interfaith harmony for the eradication of extremism.
MPA Ms Mangla Sharma; Secretary of Human Rights Department, Government of Sindh, Ms. Noreen Bashir; Bishop of Karachi and Balochistan Mr. Frederick John; Prof. Dr. Zahid Ali Chanar, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences at SMIU; Dr. Subhash Guriro from Social Development Faculty of SMIU; Prof. Dr. Shahzad Channa from Regional Dawah Centre of International Islamic University, Islamabad; Prof. Dr. Jahan Ara Lutif from Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centre. University of Karachi; Ms. Naghma Shaikh and Shujauddin Qureshi from TKF were the main speakers.
Ms. Mangla Sharma, MPA, said Sindh province has a credit for having a peaceful society, where people from different faiths have been living in peace for centuries. “I used to study Islamiat in my school, and my children have also read it,” she said, adding that some anti-social elements are spreading violent extremism in society.
Ms. Noreen Bashir, Secretary of the Human Rights Department, the government of Sindh, asked the students to work for spreading tolerance and peace in society. She said, “We are living in challenging times as Pakistani society is so polarised”. However, she said social media has provided opportunities to work for peace in society.
She said Islam’s message of Huqooqul Ibad is a message of human rights. Islam teaches morality, patience, respect for other religions and understanding.
Dr. Jahan Ara Lutfi said Islam is a religion of peace. “We have to move forward towards a one-point agenda of spreading the message of Interfaith Harmony for lasting peace in Pakistan?
She said the Holy Quran is addressed to the human being, not alone to Muslims, as God has bestowed every human being with all the blessings without any discrimination.
Prof. Dr. Shahzad Channa from Karachi’s Regional Centre of Dawah Academy, International Islamic University, Islamabad, said intolerance is a poison which affects the entire society. He asked the students to learn from
“Accept each other and respect all the faiths; this would increase peace and harmony in society,” he remarked.
Bishop Fredrick John recalled the Christian history and its evolution in Europe. He said diversity is not a curse, but it is a beauty. He said in the start, there was no religion but only humanity, which means humanity is more ancient than religion.
Prof. Dr. Zahid Ali Chanar, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences at SMIU, said every religion teaches tolerance.
