Religious scholars, spiritual leaders and representatives of different faiths unanimously reaffirmed a fatwa against suicide attacks, terrorism, extremism and the killing of innocent people at a joint meeting in Quetta on Wednesday, and fully endorsed the national narrative of Paigham-e-Pakistan.
The declaration was issued at a joint session of the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee and the Balochistan Paigham-e-Aman Committee, held at Jamia Salafia Dawat-ul-Haq. It said suicide attacks are forbidden in Islam, that killing innocent people is impermissible, and that terrorism runs against the core teachings of Islam and other religions. No individual, group or organisation, it added, has the right to shed blood, take up arms against the state or take the law into its own hands in the name of religion, sect or ideology.
Participants strongly condemned the use of women, children, young people and students for terrorism and suicide bombings, calling it religiously forbidden, morally reprehensible and a grave crime against humanity. Those who mislead the younger generation into violence, the declaration said, are enemies of human life and of Pakistan's future.
The meeting expressed full support for the army and security institutions against what the state calls Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan, the official terms for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the militant groups active in Balochistan. It also pledged to keep working with the government to promote sectarian and interfaith harmony in the province and to address the problems facing mosques and seminaries.