New army chief appointment should not be in public discourse: Ashrafi

New army chief appointment should not be in public discourse: Ashrafi

ISLAMABAD, Sep 5 (APP): Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Monday said the new Chief of Army Ataff (COAS)’s appointment should not be the part of public and political debate as Pakistan Army had their own procedure to deal with such affairs.

He while weighing in on the provocative remarks made by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan on the appointment of new COAS at a public rally in Faisalabad, during a conference of Ulema and Mashaykh titled ‘Faith on the Finality of Prophethood and Sanctity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)’ said all the ranks in Pakistan Army, from soldier to general, were true patriots and due to their selfless sacrifices, Pakistan’s defense had been made invincible.

Ashrafi urged the media particularly vloggers on YouTube for avoiding unnecessary discussion on this sensitive matter because it was not in their domain.

He said it was a high time for all political and religious leaderships to be united at one platform and get the country out of the prevailing crisis, including the flash floods which had severely damaged the social and economic structure of the people across the country.

He, expressing dismay over the political leaderships for not uniting even after the flash floods in the country, said a reconciliation process should be initiated in a bid to bring the country out of social, political and economic crisis and proposed that the Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and President Dr Arif Alvi should play an active role in the matter.

Ashrafi, who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council said the misuse of blasphemy law had been abrogated across the country.

He made it clear that the minority communities’ rights were completely secured in the Constitution and as well as in Islam as they were having a more peaceful life in Pakistan as compared to rest of the world.

He said Islam is the religion of peace, harmony, love and tolerance and the respect and dignity of a Muslim was due to the religion of Islam in the world.

However, no one could change Islamic provisions of the Constitution on the finality of prophethood and the sanctity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), he added.

He asked the philanthropists to rehabilitate the mosques and madressas as soon as the flood water receds, besides the houses of affected people across the country.

The PUC along with other religious organizations would take vigorous measures for the restoration of mosques and madrassas, he added.

Ashrafi said at this trying time, Pakistan Army and volunteers of religious organizations were busy day and night for the rehabilitation of the flood victims as seventy percent of Pakistan had been submerged in the flood water.

He said the defense and ideology of the country was in strong hands and nobody would be allowed to spread chaos on the basis of false notions against the discipline of Pakistan Army.

He said there was a dire need of unity in order to make Pakistan a strong and stable country in the comity of nations on the globe.

Later on, he distributed prizes and certificates among the seminary students.

APP Services