ISLAMABAD    -     President Dr Arif Alvi on Mon­day said that considering the current challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah, it was impera­tive to draw strength from the Islamic values and qualities.

The president said that be­sides, focusing on economic stability, the Muslim countries should also concentrate on seek­ing the knowledge, enabling them to address the contempo­rary challenges. The president was addressing at Paigham-e-Is­lam Conference as a chief guest. 

The event was attended by a large number of ambassadors, ulema, parliamentarians and scholars. He further empha­sized that all political leader­ship of the country should show magnanimity by burying their bitterness and come forward for the country’s progress and prosperity. Pakistan was once a fast-developing country in the region, but now other countries were leading the path which re­quired serious retrospection, he opined. The president said that he was appalled at the specta­cles of macabre aggression and violence unleashed on the in­nocent people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine.

A danger of genocide was lurk­ing over the Muslims in India as the mosques were being demol­ished with suppressed religious identity and freedom, he added. He said that it was indeed a dif­ficult time for the Muslim Um­mah, but he was optimistic that through collective efforts, coop­eration and unity, they would overcome all these challenges. The president further regret­ted that from human history, it was evident that mankind had not learnt from its bitter experi­ences of wrangling and tussles. The human race had witnessed large-scale massacre.

He said the teachings of the Holy Quran were eternal in na­ture which provided guidance to the human beings. The presi­dent stressed upon the teaching of certain Islamic values to the coming generations including the supreme quality of forgive­ness, adding our Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was an embodiment of this quality who forgave all his tormentors. 

The president also lauded the role of leadership of Saudi Ara­bia for resuming ties with Iran. Earlier, Ambassador of King­dom of Saudi Arabia to Paki­stan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki highlighted the significance of fraternal, historic and brotherly ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He said the close and warm ties were rooted deeply and shaped by shared mutual interests, adding the people of Kingdom and the Muslim coun­tries held Pakistan in high es­teem. Malki said that both the countries had been working closely to further strengthen their mutual cooperation in di­verse fields including trade and investment. He reiterated that Saudi Arabia would continue ex­tending its support to the people of Pakistan through different development initiatives. Am­bassador Palestine to Pakistan, Ahmed Rabei conveyed his grat­itude on behalf of the Palestin­ian people for the solidarity and support shown to the Palestin­ian cause by the Pakistani peo­ple, government and political leadership. He also highlighted the recent surge of brutalities by the occupation Israeli forces in the holy month of Ramazan. Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi and other speakers also spoke on the occasion.