ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on August 4, 2026, said the Government of Pakistan was fully committed to promoting interfaith harmony, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence across the country.
He expressed these views during a meeting with Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and Khatib of the historic Badshahi Mosque Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, and renowned international preacher and interfaith scholar Dr Leif Hetland.
The meeting discussed in detail the promotion of interfaith harmony, tolerance and protection of the rights of religious minorities at national and international levels.
Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said the Constitution of Pakistan guaranteed equal rights and religious freedom to all citizens without any discrimination on the basis of faith or creed. He stressed the need for collective efforts to spread the message of peace and love in society.
The minister said the Ministry of Religious Affairs had taken important measures to promote interfaith harmony. He said Interfaith Harmony Committees had been reactivated at national, provincial and district levels to bring religious scholars of all faiths on a single platform.
He said key government steps included official observance of religious festivals of minority communities, protection and restoration of their places of worship, special scholarships for minority students and promotion of the Paigham-e-Pakistan national narrative to curb hate speech and sectarianism.
Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said the basic message of Islam was peace, security and love for humanity. He said scholars and religious leaders had a religious and national obligation to come forward for eliminating extremism and hatred from society and to build bridges of understanding among followers of different faiths.
Dr Leif Hetland appreciated Pakistan’s initiatives for advancing interfaith dialogue. He said constructive dialogue, mutual respect and unconditional love were essential for peaceful coexistence at the global level.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to organise joint programmes and capacity-building workshops for the further promotion of interfaith tolerance.
