He says nationwide coordination between mosques, seminaries and religious boards can play a key role in the fight against terrorism.
Minister of State for Home Talal Chaudhry and Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi at a meeting of the Paigham-e-Aman Committee. SCREEN CAPTURE
Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday called for greater coordination between the State and religious scholars, urging them to play a unifying role in fighting terrorism, social disorder and fitna, while supporting a single national message of peace and stability.
Speaking at the Paigham-e-Aman Special Committee meeting in Islamabad along with Minister of State for Home Affairs Talal Chaudhry, he urged scholars to support the State’s counter-terrorism narrative by issuing clear religious guidance based on Islamic teachings.
“First of all, on terrorism, I would like to ask you to make fatwas and statements that strengthen us, to be with us in the fight against terrorism,” he said. He added that scholars should refer to the Quran, hadiths and Islamic history to explain how state-weakening fitna is addressed in Islam.
“Throughout the history of Islam and Hadith, if any fitna arises that weakens your status, how should it be handled and what are its consequences?” He said, adding that the public must also be guided on how Islam addresses those who oppose or challenge the State in the context of terrorism or other forms of disorder.
Naqvi said the platform should be strengthened and become a national level forum involving all religious boards and seminaries. He recalled that a similar proposal had earlier been shared in Punjab, suggesting that the initiative be expanded to the entire country.
“If, on an issue, 22,000 mosques are conveying a single message, there cannot be a stronger message from Pakistan,” he said, adding that the inclusion of all madrassa boards had already strengthened the forum.
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He further stressed that the committee should not be limited to occasional religious periods but should function throughout the year through a structured coordination system.
“We will establish a coordinator. We need ulama throughout the year, not just in Ramazan or Rabiul Awwal,” he said, adding that monthly meetings should be institutionalized and regular participation ensured.
The minister said many tensions in society arise from a lack of attention to shared priorities. “In my personal analysis, when we all focus on ourselves and stop looking at others, many of our problems will be solved,” he said.
He added that states do not allow hate speech or disrespect towards other religions or sects, and emphasized the importance of transmitting responsible public messages.
Naqvi said that in regional crisis situations, Pakistan’s leadership structure played a decisive role in managing results, comparing it to a team system where strategy is set from the top and execution happens on the ground.
“There is a leader, there is a captain. The leader gives direction, makes a strategy, gives final approval, and then the captain and the team go out on the field to achieve results,” he said.
Referring to tensions between the United States and Iran, he credited coordinated leadership for preventing escalation and outlined the role of Pakistan’s top leaders in the process.
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The Home Minister specifically referred to Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and said his credibility and trustworthiness were recognized by all parties involved, enabling him to play a key role in communication and de-escalation efforts.
He said both sides were confident in their neutrality, which helped Pakistan facilitate engagement during a sensitive phase of the crisis.
Naqvi also described the mediation process in detail, saying he was present in Tehran along with Iran’s chief negotiator during high-level discussions aimed at avoiding escalation. He said the situation at the time was extremely volatile, with diplomatic efforts paralleling imminent military preparations.
According to his account, at one point the crisis had reached a point where escalation seemed imminent, with military assets already on alert. He said that in this critical phase, “planes were on alert and prepared for possible attacks, and missiles were ready,” as negotiations continued simultaneously in Tehran.
He added that there was only a very short window left before possible military action, but continued engagement with the Iranian side’s chief negotiator helped keep communication open.
Through sustained back-channel diplomacy and urgent engagement, he said, the situation was brought back from the brink and escalation was avoided.
Naqvi concluded that the Paigham-e-Aman Committee should function as a continuous national platform for unity, peace and stability. Chaudhry also spoke at the meeting and supported greater coordination between the state and religious scholars.
