Two-day national conference organized by IPS & ICRC on Islam & Humanitarian Action begins in Karachi

KARACHI, Nov 24 (SABAH): Jointly organized by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a two-day national conference titled ‘Islam and Humanitarian Actions: Prospects and Challenges’ was inaugurated in a private hotel in Karachi on Wednesday.

The conference was partaken by humanitarian workers and religious scholars hailing from all sects and corners of the country, who contributed their research papers and presentations on a miscellany of concerning topics.

The opening ceremony of the conference was addressed as chief guest by President Tanzeem-ul-Madaris Pakistan Mufti Muneebur Rehman, who stressed that extending help to the needy in the hour of grief is not only Allah’s commandment in the Qur’an but it was also reflected by the Prophet’s (PBUH) through practice all his life. This was also emphasized by the Prophet (PBUH) in his farewell sermon which teaches Muslims equality and empathy, he added.

Underlining the role of religious scholars and ulema in humanitarian services, Mufti Munibur Rehman was of the view that it is the fundamental obligation of Muslim religious scholars to support every victim of oppression in the world.

The scholar also urged the United States and the European community to lift financial sanctions imposed on Afghanistan following the ascension of the Taliban to power in Kabul, in order to avoid humanitarian crisis that might befall upon the war-hit country if the financial support required for running state affairs is not provided.

Mufti Munib also rued that some powers want to achieve their nefarious goals under the guise of humanitarian services. He warned such actions would malign the noble cause and dishearten those humanitarian workers who are genuinely striving for creating a better world for future generations.

Chairman IPS Khalid Rahman thanked Mufti Muneebur Rehman and other participants on this occasion and hoped academia, especially universities, would also hold conferences on this subject.

In line with the theme of the conference, a number of scholars including Mufti Abdul Munim (Karachi), Molvi Abdullah Khoso (Kashmor), Mohammad Rafiq Shinwari (Peshawar), Dr. Mohammad Tariq Ramzan (Sargodha), and Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad (Islamabad) also presented their research papers on this inaugural day of the conference.