Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has urged Ulema and Mashaikh to support and stand by the government in its efforts to purge the country from the scourge of terrorism and extremism. Talking to delegation of Ulema and Mashaikh in Islamabad, he said Pakistan is First, and we all have to make collective efforts for its development and prosperity. In connection with Defence Day, being observed today, he categorically stated that anybody who takes arms against the state is a terrorist and the state will deal with such elements with iron hand. He said killing innocent people in the name of religion has nothing to do with Islam and Islamic teachings. The Interior Minister emphasized terrorists and extremists to lay down weapons and accept writ of the State and the Constitution. He assured that suggestions of Ulema and Mashaikh would be incorporated to root out terrorism from the country. In his remarks, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Chaudhry Salik Hussain said time has come that Ulema an d Mashaikh should come forward and play their active role to reforms the society. Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad asked the participants to play overwhelming role to save the country today as was played by Ulema and Mashaikh during independence of Pakistan. He said more than one thousand Ulema and religious scholars belonging to all schools of thought have signed a decree and narrative under Paigham-e-Pakistan, declaring unanimously that suicide attacks, armed insurgency against the state and the use of force in the name of enforcing Shariah is 'Haram' or forbidden in Islam. He assured the Interior Minister that Ulema are standing by the government and the state in its war against terrorism and extremism. Source: Radio Pakistan