PESHAWAR/MANSEHRA, Nov 4: Speakers at a seminar on Monday urged the followers of different religions to join hands for creating interfaith harmony and foiling plans of hatemongers.

The seminar was arranged by Women Illustrative Network (WIN), a nongovernmental organisation, in collaboration with Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) at a government school on Dalazak Road on Monday.

The event was largely attended by schools teachers, students and parents and elders of the area.

Speaking on the occasion, educationist Pirzada Haseebur Rehman said Muslims were religiously bound to respect the people of different religions and protect them because the minorities were fully obeying the laws of the country and didn`t spread negative propaganda against Islam.

`Muslims should provide minorities with full protection so that theycould also play role in development of the country as they are also citizens of Pakistan and have similar rights like others. Pakistan has a vast population of religious minorities but due to lack of education and awareness, our people are unaware of their rights and avoid dealing with them,` he said.

The educationist said the situation in Peshawar had already deteriorated to an alarming proportion and terrorists were bent upon worsening, an act, which was in violation of Islamic principles.

He said in the prevailing situation, the country couldn`t progress and rather, the unfortunate incidents were bringing a bad name to the country.

Mr Rehman urged the civil society organisations to come forward and play their role in creation of harmony among the people of different religions so that they could collectively play a role in eradication of hatred, restoration of peace and initiation of development.

Some other educationists and rep-resentatives of civil society organisations including Samiullah, Tariq Iqbal and Zulgarnain also spoke on the occasion and said the country was facing numerous internal and external challenges and it was need of the hour to join hands to meet them.

They asked all religious parities to come forward and play their role in creating public awareness of the constitutional rights of minorities and said they could lead life with honour and peace in the country.

The educationists emphasised that schoolteachers should create awareness among students of the rights of minorities so that the new generation could play effective role for creation of national unity and harmony and for discouraging the anti-state elements.

They asked the activists of different groups to avoid spreading hatred in the name of sects, races and affiliations with different ideologies.

In Mansehra, the Shia and Sunni ulema on Monday assured the dis-trict administration of full support for peace during Muharram.

Deputy Commissioner of Mansehra Zulfiqar Shah had summoned separate meetings of the ulema of both sects at the New Circuit House here.

District Police Officer Khurram Rashid was also in attendance.

The Sunni delegation was led by District Peace Committee Chairman Maulana Rafigur Rehman Qamar and comprised Maulana Waqarul Haq Usman, Maulana Qudratullah Qadri and Qazi Khalil, while the Shia team was headed by Syed Abid Hussain Shah and consisted of ulema and zakirs.

Mr Qamar later told reporters that he had asked the district and divisional administrations to follow the 1992 agreement between ulema of both sects for peaceful Muharram.

He said peace was the need of the hour and therefore, ulema won`t get themselves involved in controversial matters and would support the district administration in maintainingpeace and interfaith harmony in the district.

Mr Hussain Shah said he was hopeful that scholars won`t deliver provocative speeches and would ensure a peaceful Muharram by all means.

The deputy commissioner said use of loudspeakers except for azan or Friday sermons had been banned and violators of the ban would be dealt with strictly.

Shia leader Hussain Shah assured the administration of his community`s full support in maintaining peace during Muharram.

`We support the district administration`s peace efforts,` he said.

Also in the day, Assistant Commissioner of Mansehra Dr Qasim Ali Khan visited imambargahs in Muftiabad and Parian area to examine security arrangements for Muharram.

He asked the chief municipal officer to repair streetlights and pavements on the roads leading to Hussania Imambargah in Muftiabad.