Won’t spare anyone using religion for extremist acts: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday expressed his government's determination not to spare anyone found involved in cruelty by using religion, especially, in the name of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

"The message of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was declared by Allah Almighty as Rehmatul-Lil-Alameen, is based on humanity and justice," he said while addressing a condolence reference held here at the PM's Office to express solidarity with the family of the late Priyantha Kumara, who was killed by a mob in Sialkot last Friday, as well as the government and people of Sri Lanka.

The prime minister said those leveling allegations have become judge, jury and executioner themselves. The message of humanity and justice given by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the characteristics of a human society as against the inhumane world where the rules like "might is right" and "survival of the fittest" were applied.

PM Khan, on the occasion, also awarded Malik Adnan, the person who tried to save the Sri Lankan factory manager from the mob attack during the shameful Sialkot incident, with a certificate of appreciation and said that Adnan, by showing valour and humanity, had made the whole country and the nation proud. Imran paid tributes to Malik Adnan and said his brave action and effort to save Priyantha Kumara had strengthened the confidence of people in humanity. "You (Malik Adnan) will Insha Allah be rewarded with Tamgha-e-Shujaat on March 23," he added.

The prime minister, while mentioning an English quotation that "one moral man is an army", said the moral strength was more powerful that the physical strength. He said that Malik Adnan, who stood before the mob to save the Sri Lankan citizen and even risked his own life, had made the nation proud and was a role model for others.

The condolence was attended among others by the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan, federal ministers, members of Parliament, Ulema, artistes and civil society representatives. Prime Minister Imran Khan said Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who united the people, including the warring Arab tribes, spread the message of Islam through love and peace and not through sword. "With only 1,400 deaths, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) dominated the whole Arab world in 10 years. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) brought the message of love, which was based on humanity and justice," he remarked.

The prime minister said that a human being was valued in the society of humans and the weaker segments were taken care of, adding, Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) established the world's first welfare state in Madina and upheld justice. "People here are killed in the name of religion and use the name of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)", he mentioned and regretted that when someone was accused of something [like the Sialkot incident], even lawyers and judges hesitated to plead or hear such a case.

The prime minister, however, maintained that after the tragic Peshawar Army Public School (APS) incident in December 2014 in which 150 students were martyred, the whole country got united against extremism and terrorism and the war against terrorism was won. "Now the whole of Pakistan has decided that the Sialkot-like incidents should not be repeated," he stressed.

The prime minister told the gathering that the traders community of Sialkot had collected US$100,000 for the family of late Priyantha Kumara and salary of the late Sri Lankan citizen would also be regularly paid to his family. Imran Khan mentioned his decision of establishing the Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority and said its objective was to gather religious scholars at one platform and make the country's youth fully aware of the life and achievements of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). "All of us are the lovers of Holy Prophet (PBUH). But we have to prove it by following and adopting his way of life. For that purpose, we have to read history, his life and Seerat and hold debates in colleges," he added.

The prime minister said people, especially the youth, were required to know why Allah Almighty declared Holy Prophet (PBUH) as His "Beloved" and why Michael Hart, an American author, kept Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at number one in the list of 100 most influential persons in history. Regretting that how people in Pakistan were used to giving "edicts of infidelity," Imran Khan mentioned that once Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed his anger and did not talk with a Sahabi, who killed an infidel in a holy war even after he (the infidel) had recited Kalma Tayyaba. Describing the Sialkot incident as "shameful", he said that Pakistan was the only country in the world which was created in the name of Islam. "I am receiving a lot of messages from the overseas Pakistanis, who feel ashamed of the Sialkot incident," he remarked.

The prime minister said that nine million overseas Pakistanis had to face embarrassment after such incidents in their homeland, which was created in the name of Islam. He said that despite the fact that the incidents of mob lynching were continuously happening in India during the BJP rule, which hurt the Pakistanis as well, the Indian television channels were in the forefront to highlight the Sialkot incident. "And I will not let such incident happen in the country," he stressed.