Prime Minister says terrorists defamed peace-loving Islam

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said the terrorists defamed Islam, which is a religion of peace, and lamented that innocent citizens are being subjected to extreme brutality.

The prime minister said that in the wake of the ongoing conflict between right and falsehood, “we need to seek inspiration and guidance from the uprightness of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) to frustrate the evil designs of those damaging the true spirit of Islam”.

In his message on the Day of Ashura commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the prime minister said the heart-wrenching incident of Karbala has no parallel in the history of mankind. He said by sacrificing his life along with his family, Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) proved that for a true Muslim nothing was more important than the honour and dignity of Islam.

He said the historic encounter between the forces of truth and falsehood made Islam an everlasting religion.

“Though the Day of Ashura recounts a story of grief and anguish it actually portrays the triumph of virtue over vice,” Nawaz said. He said the steadfastness demonstrated by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) in the face of cruelty and tyranny proved that uprightness always prevails and that any enemy could be defeated with determination and absolute faith in God.

The premier said the devious terrorists who are subjecting innocent citizens to extreme brutality and defaming Islam probably do not know that a nation with staunch followers of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) amongst its ranks can never be dispirited by them.

He hoped that the nation with unwavering faith in Almighty Allah and strong willpower will defeat the enemies of Islam. “Let us pledge today that we utilise all our energies to preserve the honour and dignity of Islam, serve the nation and rid the country of all evils to develop it as a true Islamic welfare state,” the prime minister said.

President Mamnoon Hussain in his message said that the Day of Ashura reminds us of the martyrdom that Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions, including innocent children, at Karbala to uphold the uprightness and preserve the sanctity of Islam.

“The best way to pay homage to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions is to resolve that we will mould our lives in accordance with their teachings,” the president said.

“Today we should also ponder as to what are those internal and external forces that are bent upon weakening the country and who are the elements harming the unity and solidarity of the Pakistani nation to fulfil their evil designs,” he said.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari in his message said the nation should forge unity and harmony on the solemn occasion of Ashura and urged people to be cautious of those who want to destroy sectarian harmony in the country.

He said Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) sacrificed his life and the lives of his dearest family members and associates for the cause of truth and justice and against tyranny, falsehood and authoritarianism and in doing so he bequeathed a lesson to us to resist oppression and tyranny in whatever form it may rear its head.

The former president said it is hard to find a parallel example of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s supreme sacrifice in the annals of history.
The PPP patron in chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his message on Youm-e-Ashur urged the Muslims to learn from the supreme sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and continue to struggle for higher values and the triumph of goodness over evil.

He appealed to people to rise above the divide on the basis of various schools of thought and forge unity amongst them.