Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif reiterated his commitment to uproot poverty, end unemployment, eliminate crippling debt and eradicate terrorism as he welcomed members of the national Peace Committee in Islamabad. He stressed that national unity and solidarity are more vital now than ever as the country confronts a renewed wave of militancy.
The prime minister warned that a nexus of Khawarij elements, the TTP and TTA has reemerged with external support, and vowed to remove terrorism from Pakistan’s borders and cast it into the Indian Ocean. He credited the armed forces for recent successes and said the country must harness its vast natural resources to build a genuine welfare state, free of debt and joblessness.
Shahbaz Sharif asked the Peace Committee to advance a clear, moderate Islamic message across the provinces, urging scholars to apply wisdom, patience and consensus in confronting the ideological roots of extremism. He welcomed the inclusion of representatives from all schools of thought and minority communities in the committee and called for cooperative solutions developed through dialogue.
The committee will hold provincial consultations and a two-day scholars conference in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, meet local ulema and spend time with service personnel to strengthen the narrative against militancy. Its members will engage in outreach, support madrassa reforms and promote a national curriculum that reinforces social cohesion and counters radical narratives.
Committee convenor Maulana Tahir Ashrafi said members will work to meet the prime minister’s expectations, address grievances raised by local religious leaders, and ensure that scholars across the country join the effort to stabilise peace. Minority leaders present affirmed their full support for national security and communal harmony, pledging to stand with the state and the armed forces.
Officials highlighted ongoing reforms in religious education, noting that some 36,000 registered madaris now combine religious instruction with contemporary subjects and vocational training to improve employment prospects for graduates. The government said teacher training is being modernised while preserving traditional curricula.
Speakers from various religious communities praised the move to institutionalise a national message of peace and stressed that the committee represents Pakistan’s diversity and unity. They promised to support government efforts to counter ideological terrorism and to promote tolerance, civic responsibility and economic recovery across the country.
