Islam is religion of peace, says Yaqub

ISLAMABAD: Underlining the importance to develop interfaith harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yaqub, Deputy Speaker National Assembly has said that religious leaders of all faith have great responsibility to bring harmony among the followers of various religions and they should not give statements hurting feelings of the followers of other religions.

He said this while talking to a 10 member Japanese delegation headed by Kazuo Shii, Chairman Executive Committee of the Japanese Communist Party that called on him the Parliament House on Tuesday.

The Deputy Speaker said that Islam is religion of peace and abhorred all kinds of terrorism. He said that Islam was misinterpreted by some people in the West and underlined the need to remove this misperception.

He said that Pakistan and Japan have close economic relations and both the countries also have the same perceptions about all regional and global issues.

The projects funded by the Japanese government were playing very important role in the economic development of the country and poverty alleviation in the country, he added.

The Deputy Speaker apprised the delegation about the Parliamentary system prevailing in Pakistan adding that democratic institutions in the country were strong and women were empowered by giving them more representation in the parliament and local bodies.

The Deputy Speaker underlined the need of enhance interaction between the parliamentarians of the both the countries for strengthening relations between the two countries.

Deputy Speaker National Assembly Sardar Yaqub appreciated the role played by Japan in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Oct 8 earthquake victims in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and NWFP.

He extended gratitude to the government and people of Japan for extending gracious support to the victims of Oct 8 earthquake.

The leader of the delegation Kazuo Shii said that Japan and Pakistan have much in common. Both the countries are fighting against terrorism, both aspire for world peace and both have same desire for nuclear non proliferation, he said.

Kazuo Shii said that Japan wanted to eliminate the root cause of terrorism ad was helping Pakistan to alleviate poverty and expand education.

He said that Islam is religion of peace and brotherhood and should be understood by the world in its true perspective.