Religious harmony in Pakistan.

Our dear homeland Pakistan is the most important country in the Islamic world and the first nuclear power in the Muslim world.

For the last four decades, Pakistan has been facing multiple challenges and its adversaries have been trying to portray it as a weak state that relies on others for its survival. Indeed for a long time, Pakistan has been the victim of terrorism and sectarian violence, but that is now history. Whatever conspiracy is peddled against Pakistan, the reality is that it has successfully defeated terrorism.

Though Pakistan is now 90 percent out of the terrorism mess, international terrorist groups in Afghanistan are still conspiring to target Pakistan. These terrorist organisations have been conspiring against Pakistan with Indian support. There are currently being reorganised by India but Pakistan's security agencies are constantly thwarting their conspiracies.

The present government has a clear policy from day one to eradicate the menace of extremism and terrorism from Pakistan and make it a peaceful, stable and tolerant country.

It would not be wrong to say that the official status of Madaris education has been formally recognised after seventy years. In the past, the degrees of Madaris Educational Boards were recognised only as honorary degrees and were considered equivalent to MA Islamic Studies or MA in Arabic, that too by a few government departments. Many simply did not recognise them. However, as a result of continuous negotiations with state officials, not only has the registration issue of seminaries been sorted out, it was also decided that along with the religious education Madaris will also impart conventional education up to Intermediate. It was also decided that the government would not interfere in the affairs of the seminaries and their curriculum unnecessarily.

The Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has appointed me as the Special Representative for Religious Harmony and the Middle East. I have been assigned a special duty to promote and strengthen religious harmony and begin an interfaith dialogue with key stakeholders, to dispel misconceptions related to Pakistan and Islam. Alhamdulillah, Pakistan is today one of the safest countries for minorities. Look at India where minorities are in perpetual danger. More than 2,000 churches, hundreds of gurdwaras and mosques have been targeted. Massacres of minorities and forced conversions have become a routine matter in India. Also...