In his interaction with leading Islamic clerics at GHQ, army chief General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has made it clear to all and sundry that there exists no space for intolerance in society.

According to him, there is no space for intolerance and extreme behaviour by any entity against anyone, particularly against minorities and vulnerable segments of society.

The Ulema and Mashaikh too deserve commendation for unanimously condemning extremism, terrorism and sectarianism and pledging their continued support towards untiring efforts of state and security forces for bringing tolerance, peace and stability in the country.

The ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ Fatwa issued by religious scholars deserves no less praise for it strongly nullifies misleading propaganda disseminated by extremists and terrorists.

There is no denying that Ulema can play a highly important role in fostering tolerance and amity among people in an effective and meaningful manner.

Needless to say, there is strong relationship between religion and tolerance. In my view, there is need for some more concerted efforts aimed at creating an environment in which everyone demonstrates the ability or willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions or behavior that he or she dislikes or disagrees with.

Naureen Khan, Islamabad

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023