ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noorul Haq Qadri Sunday said that peaceful coexistence was the basic unit of ‘Contract of Citizenship’ setting aside the colour, race, religion, culture or language.

He was moderating the plenary session on ‘The Contract of Citizenship and its Impact on Achieving Societal and Global Peace’ at the 32nd Conference of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Cairo, Egypt, according to official sources. He said that Islam and Shariah did not contradict with this theory as in Islamic society people of all ranks equally enjoyed the legal rights.

He said: “This ideology is based on give and take relationship, and it transforms the individual as a responsible citizen of the society.”

Qadri urged all the segments of society to play their due role and spread the culture of tolerance, acceptance of others and counter extremist thoughts. The other speakers at the plenary session were: Sheikh Musa Drami, Minister for Religious Affairs Gambia, Dr Mahmoud Al-Habbash, Palestinian Chief Justice, Prof Dr Mohamed Ibrahim El Hefnawy, Professor Al-Azhar University, Musa Umar, General Coordinator of the Council of Imams Cameron and Mohamed Abdallah Bah, Director General of Al-Imaar University.

Minister of Awqaf and Endowments Egypt Prof Dr Mohamed Mokhtar Jom’ah, who is also head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, formally inaugurated the conference the other in Cairo. In conference, a wide selection of ministers, muftis, scholars, thinkers, and writers from different countries participated. The conference discussed various topics, including the development of concept of state, rights and duties within the social contract, religious tolerance, and status of women in the state. Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Minister Pir Noor ul Haq Qadri was leading the Pakistani delegation at 32nd Conference of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs scheduled to be held from Feb 12 to 13.