Federal Religious Affairs Minister Ejazul Haq has called upon the Ulema and religious leaders that they should work collectively on strengthening the sectarian harmony in the country.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday afternoon at the Civil Rest House, he said the government is making adequate efforts for the elimination of sectarianism with the help of Ulema and the people, adding the step was being taken to set up 'Ulema Board' for checking the literature, pamphlets, and brochure spreading abhorrence among different sects.
The minister said the Ulema Board would be established in the centre on the pattern of Punjab, adding it would focus its attention on removal of objectionable religious literature that hurt sentiments of fellow Muslims and persons involved in this practice would be punished severely.
About the use of loudspeaker would also be minimised and violators would be dealt with iron hand in the country, he warned.
The minister strongly condemned the bomb blast incidents in Sialkot, Multan, and Lahore, and termed it inhuman act against the mankind.
Ejazul Haq said the religious leaders and the Ulema had played an effective role in handling the situation with patience peacefully after the bomb blast incidents in Sialkot, Multan and Lahore.
He said some anti-state forces are hell-bent to destabilise and sabotage the democratic process of the country, adding all democratic institutions are functioning successfully in all parts of the country.
Ejazul Haq was of the opinion that the current incidents of bomb blasts in Sialkot, Multan, and Lahore were not sectarianism, but the incidents of terrorism.
He called upon the people that they should forge complete unity among the ranks for eliminating the menace of terrorism, adding that collective efforts at this juncture are needed to get rid from the menace of terrorism.
Earlier, the minister also addressed the religious leaders and the Ulema belonging to different sects.
District Nazim Mian Naeem Javed, Sialkot Tehsil Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema, District Co-ordination Officer Syed Tahir Raza Naqvi and other officers were also present on the occasion.