Riyadh: Senior Islamic scholars of the republics of Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday signed the historic peace declaration, which paves the way for resolving the protracted Afghan crisis through its support, the Saudi press agency reported.
The signing took place at the conclusion of the Islamic conference held near the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
The historic signing in Mecca was attended by Sheikh Dr Noor Al-Haq Qadri, Pakistani minister of Islamic affairs and tolerance, and Sheikh Muhammad Qasim Halimi, the Afghan minister of Hajj, endowments and guidance.
This was held under the banner of the Muslim world league and under the auspices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and for the first time brought together leading scholars to achieve reconciliation among the Afghan people.
The declaration seeks a final and comprehensive solution to the Afghan conflict by supporting the reconciliation process between the warring parties in Afghanistan and finding common ground by addressing political, social, economic and other related issues.
During the inaugural session, Al-Issa said: “This blessed sponsorship and great support by Saudi Arabia’s government comes in line with the Kingdom’s extensive Islamic work, as part of its Islamic duties and responsibilities.”
“There were many initiatives and calls to rush to achieve reconciliation among the Muslim people of Afghanistan to get them out of the current ordeal,” he said.
They also stressed the importance of the Kingdom’s role in building solidarity and harmony in the Islamic nation, stressing their aspiration for its continued support to maintain the momentum generated by this declaration among scholars in the Islamic world in general, and among scholars in Pakistan and Afghanistan in particular.
Meanwhile, Dr. Shafiq Samim, ambassador and permanent representative of afghanistan to the organization of Islamic cooperation, affirmed that the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leaders are supportive, fruitful and successful in finding radical solutions to conflicts in the Islamic world.
He said Afghanistan has tasted the bitterness of wars over the past four decades, and witnessed events and battles that destroyed the country, stressing that this conference is a serious attempt to find a solution to the Afghan crisis through constructive dialogue and effective mediation.
The scholars of Pakistan and Afghanistan expressed their thanks and appreciation to the custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the firm and historical position of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in support of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The conference included five sessions during which more than 20 senior scholars spoke about peace, tolerance, moderation and reconciliation in Islam.