Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the country could not achieve sustainable economic development without the complete elimination of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism from the country.
Addressing the National Ulema Convention here, the prime minister urged religious scholars to play a proactive role in discouraging sectarianism and promoting unity, harmony and brotherhood among all schools of thought. He said creating an atmosphere of national cohesion was essential for ensuring the country’s prosperity and future progress.
The Convention was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Chief of Defence Forces Syed Asim Munir, ministers, parliamentarians, and a large number of religious scholars from various schools of thoughts.
The prime minister said that Allah Almighty had blessed Pakistan with a great victory in the maarka-e-haq (battle of truth) against India, which he said was due to the professionalism and bravery of the armed forces, as well as the prayers of the nation.
He said Field Marshal Asim Munir had led the war with courage and unwavering resolve, while all services, the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy, contributed equally to the victory.
The world, he added, was acknowledging Pakistan’s performance, and Muslim countries were expressing pride over the historic victory. Despite this, he noted, certain elements continued to spread propaganda against the armed forces.
Calling out the menace of terrorism, he said the Khawarij were carrying out attacks and targeting innocent citizens and security personnel. He said he often met families of martyred soldiers who expressed pride in the sacrifices of their sons for the country.
As regards the economy, the prime minister said Pakistan had reached a stage from where it was about to take off towards accelerated growth. He said the country’s political and military leadership had worked tirelessly to steer the nation away from the risk of default.
He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to put Pakistan on the path of economic prosperity, saying this was the time for implementation and hard work. By implementing austerity measures, and working collectively, he added, the nation could fulfill the dreams of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said national unity was indispensable for addressing all challenges facing the country and for achieving long-term stability and development.
