Countering nefarious designs: National Interfaith Council to be established: minister

Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti on Monday said that a National Interfaith Council (NIC) aimed at promoting brotherhood, harmony and co-existence among various sects and faiths of the society would be established after Ramazan. He said this while talking to media after attending a national interfaith consultation conference organized by the minority affairs ministry.
More than 50 Ulemas, scholars and intellectuals from different schools of thought and faiths attended the conference and strongly condemned the incidents of terrorism taking place in the country. The minister reading out a joint declaration issued at the conclusion of the seminar, said: "It is a need of the hour that all patriotic citizens, including leaders of various faiths and denominations should join hands to promote interfaith harmony and defeat conspirators and anti-state elements."
The session unanimously decided to launch a countrywide campaign to promote interfaith harmony and ensure peaceful co-existence under the umbrella of the ministry by taking along scholars, religious leaders, intellectuals and human rights activists. It said that terrorists' attacks on religious places, shrines, schools, hospitals, state institutions, offices of law enforcement agencies, public and private buildings were barbaric acts.
The interfaith session appreciated the role of Pakistan Army and law enforcement agencies in the war against terrorism, assuring its full support to the government in uprooting the menace.
The declaration also underlined the need for exhibiting national unity to ensure peace and stability in the country, suggesting ban on publications of such matters, which tends to trigger hatred. It also demanded that the subject of interfaith harmony should be made a part of the curriculum at appropriate levels. According to the declaration, blood banks would be established across the country to ensure timely provision of blood to the victims of terrorism along with a commitment to motivate people to donate blood.
Responding to a question, Shahbaz Bhatti said that a round-the-clock hotline would also be reserved for the minorities of the country. He also said that the hotline would be connected to all police stations to ensure immediate response to the callers. Prime Minister Gilani would inaugurate the hotline at the end of this month, he added. Committees would be established in all districts of the country to promote interfaith harmony and national solidarity, in a bid to counter the nefarious designs of the anti-state elements fanning sectarianism, said Bhatti.