Jaranwala incident: PUC, Church of Pakistan form joint committee

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) and Church of Pakistan on Sunday jointly established a 24-member committee in a concerted effort to address the tragic incident in Jaranwala, foster interfaith and interdenominational unity, and quell extremist narratives.

Co-chaired by PUC Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi and Church of Pakistan President Bishop Azad Marshal, the committee comprises diverse leaders including Bishop Aleem Anwar, Bishop Arshad Joseph, Muswar Abbasi, Pastor Immanuel Khokhar, Zaheer Abbas, Pastor Shahzad Gul, Pastor Immanuel Lorraine, Bishop Leoradic Paul, Bishop Alvin Samorel, Mishaal Samorel, Sahil Advocate, Pir Naqibur Rehman, Sahibzada Hassan Haseebur Rehman, Maulana Ziaullah Shah Bukhari, Allama Arif Wahidi, Allama Tahirul Hasan, Maulana Asadullah Farooq, Maulana Muhammad Aslam Siddiqui, Farzd Islam, Sardar Ajmal Advocate, Sajid Iqbal Advocate and other dignitaries.

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Ashrafi emphasised during a media interaction that building a peaceful and resilient Pakistan required active participation from all segments of society, the state news agency reported.

He stressed the inclusion of leaders from various religions in the 24-member committee, bridging the gap between Muslim and Christian leaders.

“We must strive to cultivate tolerance, respect, and patience in our society and reject any attempts to exploit religion for personal or political gains,” he added.

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He further noted that concerted efforts would be made across all levels to discourage illegal actions under the guise of blasphemy or religious insult.

Ashrafi said the PUC had pledged to provide assistance to the young victims of the Jaranwala incident, announcing their commitment to organize arrangements for the affected girls’ dowries as part of their ongoing support efforts.

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