KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday urged Ulema of different schools of thought and sects to preach inter-faith and inter-sect harmony and unity in the country, particularly during the month of Moharram, which gives the lesson of sacrifice for a great cause.
This he said while presiding over a meeting of religious scholars here at the New Sindh Secretariat.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Minister for Religious Affairs Nasir Shah, Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani, Minister for Irrigation Sohail Anwar Siyal, Advisor to the CM Murtaza Wahab, IG Sindh Dr Kalem Imam, Home Secretary Kazi Kabir, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahlwani and other officers concerned.
The Ulemas, who attended the meeting, included Allama Maqsood Hussain Domki, Allama Furkan Haider Abdi, Maulana Sadiq Jaferi, Allama Mubashir Hussain, Allama Asghar Ali Naqvi, Allama Nisar Qalandri, Maulana Hussain Masoodi, Sarwat Aijaz Qadri, Maulana Akbar Dars, Qari Usman, Allama Shah Ferozezuddin Qadri and others.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said Islam is a religion of peace, tranquility, brotherhood and teaches tolerance and respect for everyone irrespective of any discrimination.
“We all have worked together and successfully restored peace in the city and we have to sustain it collectively with our wisdom, vision, actions, and speeches,” he said.
Mr Shah said the purpose of the meeting was to take all religious scholars and Ulemas into confidence over the provincial government’s measures to maintain peace and tranquility across the city and in the province at large.
“I have held a meeting with all the law enforcement agencies and chalked out a detail security plan for Moharram majalis and processions and I am sure you will cooperate with the administration and law enforcement agencies in conducting Moharram events,” he said.
The religious scholars assured the chief minister of their support and cooperation and gave some suggestions for improvement of the overall environment across Sindh.
They complained that private hospitals were not entertaining any patient in an emergency.
They cited the example of Dr Askari who had sustained a bullet injury in a targeted attack. He was taken to the Patel Hospital which refused to entertain the case then he was taken to the Aga Khan Hospital.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report.
He issued clear directives to all private hospitals to entertain emergency cases.
The chief minister nominated three ministers committee/focal persons to resolve all the issues emerging up to 10th of Moharram. These ministers include Syed Nasir Shah, Shabir Bijarani and Special Assistant to CM Waqar Mehdi.
The chief minister directed KER and Wapda authorities not to resort to load-shedding during majalis and processions.
