ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday met with resident ambassadors of Muslim countries and outlined the concept behind the establishment of the Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority to counter modern challenges faced by the Muslim world, including Islamophobia, the PM’s office said.
The authority was formed last month to monitor the media and national curriculum along religious lines. It seeks to help familiarize children and adults with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
PM Khan briefed the envoys of Muslim countries that the prime objective of establishing the authority was to develop a deeper understanding of Sunnah, the ways of life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), through collaborative research and to provide essential tools to the youth to preserve their Islamic identity, values and culture in the face of diverse social and digital media influences.
He also invited “constructive ideas” from the envoys and hoped for active collaboration among Muslim countries, both at the governmental level and through interaction among scholars and academia.
“The Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority was mandated to coordinate with Islamic scholars around the globe to discuss contemporary issues faced by the Muslim youth and to present a coherent and logical intellectual response to modern challenges, in particular Islamophobia,” PM Khan’s office quoted him as saying in a statement.
He stressed the need for teaching “ethics” in schools in order to help build character of the Muslim youth in accordance with the principles and true spirit of Islam.
The prime minister highlighted the importance of print, digital and electronic media and the influence of their content on the lifestyle and personality development of the young generation.
On Wednesday, PM Khan said the country needed urgent steps to protect its youth from “immoral alien culture” that was spreading through modern means of communications.
“Several envoys of the Muslim countries appreciated the initiative of the prime minister and shared the ideals of his endeavor,” the PM’s office added.
Pakistan PM discusses with envoys of Muslim states new authority to counter Islamophobia
https://arab.news/6xues
Pakistan PM discusses with envoys of Muslim states new authority to counter Islamophobia
- Prime Minister Imran Khan invites ‘constructive ideas,’ hopes for active collaboration among Muslim countries
- Pakistan premier emphasizes need for teaching ‘ethics’ in schools to help build character of Muslim youth
Imran Khan’s party seeks ‘confidence-building measures’ after government’s talks offer
- PTI says access to jailed founding leader essential for talks to be considered credible
- Government says it’s ready for dialogue but nothing will happen until Khan favors the idea
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party said on Saturday it would only consider the government’s offer for talks credible if it is accompanied by “concrete confidence-building measures,” such as unhindered access to its founding leader in a high-security prison in Rawalpindi.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government was fully prepared to hold a dialogue with Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to address political polarization that has deepened since the downfall of the PTI administration in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022.
PTI has frequently complained about a state crackdown against its top leadership, including Khan and his wife, who are serving prison sentences in multiple cases ranging from corruption charges to inciting violence against state institutions and attacks on government properties.
Sharif’s offer for talks came amid media reports that PTI wanted a dialogue with the government, though he noted that negotiations would not be allowed to proceed on the basis of “blackmailing” or unlawful demands and would only cater to legitimate issues.
“Announcements of talks, without concrete confidence-building measures, cannot be treated as credible progress,” Azhar Leghari, PTI’s central deputy information secretary, told Arab News.
He recalled that Khan had authorized Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas to carry forward with the dialogue process, adding that talks “require trust, and trust cannot be built at the cost of constitutional rights or democratic legitimacy.”
“For dialogue to be meaningful, it is essential that these authorized representatives are allowed regular and unhindered access to Imran Khan so that any engagement accurately reflects his views and PTI’s collective position,” he added.
Khan’s family, party and legal team have complained in the past they are stopped by the authorities from meeting the ex-PM in prison. Last month, they also raised concerns about his health, prompting the officials to allow one of his sisters to meet him, who said he was fine.
Shortly thereafter, a scathing message was posted on his social media account, criticizing the army chief. Khan’s post elicited a bitter response from the government and the military amid accusations of inciting people against state institutions.
Leghari’s comments came only a day after Rana Sanaullah, adviser to Prime Minister Sharif on political affairs, said PTI’s “second- or third-tier leadership” wanted dialogue, but nothing was going to happen until Khan favored these negotiations.
He also maintained that while the government was ready for talks, “uncertainty and delays from PTI are preventing progress.”
Meanwhile, a newly formed National Dialogue Committee of former PTI leaders told Arab News it had organized a session on Wednesday, January 7, in the federal capital that will bring together all major political parties, journalists, lawyers and representatives of civil society.
“Our goal is to bring political leaders together so that, while discussing their own issues, they can collectively seek solutions to the nation’s challenges,” Mahmood Baqi Moulvi, a Pakistani politician and member of the committee, said.
“The initiative also builds on previous efforts, including a letter to the prime minister requesting confidence-building measures to enable talks with PTI,” he added.
The National Dialogue Committee had urged the government in the letter to grant parole to jailed party figures in Lahore, including former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Dr. Yasmin Rashid, describing the move as vital for building trust ahead of negotiations.
It had also maintained such a step “would not only create an extremely positive, conducive, and trust-filled environment for the negotiations but would also lay a strong foundation for restoring mutual confidence among all stakeholders.”
While the government has also offered dialogue in the past, PTI leaders have conditioned participation on substantive measures, including what they describe as an end to politically motivated prosecutions and arrests, restoration of fundamental rights, respect for judicial independence and a credible roadmap toward free and fair elections.
“Reconciliation is possible, but it must be based on correcting injustices rather than managing optics,” Leghari said. “A genuine reset requires restoring respect for the Constitution, ending political victimization and allowing democratic processes to function without interference.”
Rana Sanaullah and Deputy Law Minister Barrister Aqeel Malik did not respond to requests for comment.
