Pakistan’s Christian,Muslim religious leaders urge collaboration to fight extremism
(April 27,2010) In Pakistan, Christian and Muslim religious leaders have called
for collaboration to combat extremism in the country, after attending an interfaith
conference in Spain. “Our country is infected with the worst terrorism and extremism,
and thousands of innocent lives have been lost,” said Father James Channan, head of
the Dominican Vice-Province of Pakistan, at a press conference in Lahore on Monday.
“It is a serious situation and demands cooperation and joint strategies, at national
and international levels to change the mindset of suicide bombers,” he said. The
priest was part of the Pakistani delegation, including three Muslim clerics, who attended
the April 7-9 conference in Madrid hosted by the governments of Pakistan and Spain.
Representatives from 10 Asian and 23 European countries attended the event. Muslim
cleric- Allama Abdul Waheed Rabbani told the media: “We condemn suicide attackers
for their inhuman acts. Muslims are not terrorists but they get a bad name. Our call
is not for conversion but tolerance and acceptance.” In a press statement, the speakers
recommended that the Pakistani government use the media to promote interfaith dialogue,
include chapters on the topic in the school syllabus, organize forums on inter-cultural
harmony and establish dialogue and peace centers in all provinces.