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Pakistan Leaders Enlist Ulema to Curb Sectarianism, Affirm State's Sole Right to Declare Jihad

The coordinated appeal links defeating militancy with a promised turn in the economy.

Overview

  • The National Ulema Convention in Islamabad gathered Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, ministers, parliamentarians and scholars from diverse schools of thought.
  • Shehbaz urged clerics to end sectarian discrimination, warning that divisive rhetoric undermines progress and calling for unity within mosques and communities.
  • Asim Munir asserted that only the state can declare jihad and pressed religious leaders to help keep the nation united.
  • Officials flagged continued attacks by militant and khawarij elements targeting civilians and security personnel in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • Speakers praised a recent military victory and said civil-military cooperation helped avert a default as they tied stability to sustained economic growth.