ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East affairs and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi Sunday said the government was formulating policy to strictly handle extremist elements including banned organizations and its affiliated groups who were using religion for their personal interests.

Talking to a private news channel he said, he said the government in its joint parliament session has passed multiple bills which was a great initiative in legislation including elections through Electric Voting Machine (EVMs) and anti-rape legislation that will see repeat offenders/rapists potentially chemically castrated.

He said in order to remove drawbacks in judiciary system the government has introduced new legislation that will allow quicker convictions to criminals through the establishment of special courts which will fast track sexual assault cases.

He said although government was facing many challenges yet fully committed to make a welfare state in line with the Medina state led by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the seventh century which was believed in tolerance, brotherhood, peaceful co-existence of mankind and a social system based on justice, equality and negation of all types of discrimination, which is a true spirit of Islam.