ISLAMABAD (MNN); Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Secretary General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri has emphasized the importance of Pakistan-China friendship, saying China has consistently stood by Pakistan on major issues, including the Pakistan-India conflict and economic challenges.
Addressing a seminar titled “China and Muslim World in Present Geo Strategic Situation” at the National Press Club Islamabad, Haideri said Muslims could protect their beliefs, rights and interests by becoming part of the system rather than pursuing continuous confrontation or conflict.
He said Muslims in China should participate in the electoral and political system to ensure effective representation of their community while remaining committed to their religious beliefs and values.
Haideri said Pakistan’s friendly relations with China had always remained a priority, adding that JUI-F’s leadership had played a role in strengthening Pak-China ties. He also said the party had contributed to the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), claiming that its basic concept had been presented to the Chinese leadership by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman before it later evolved into a formal project.
Referring to his observations during visits to Xinjiang and Urumqi, Haideri said he had witnessed Muslims offering prayers and reciting the Holy Quran in mosques. He said that while there were different perceptions about conditions in the region, every state takes action against armed violence, and internal matters of sovereign countries should be viewed with sensitivity.
He reiterated that peaceful participation in the system was a more constructive way for communities to safeguard their rights, representation and identity.
Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Dr Tanveer Ahmed Alvi said Pakistan-China relations were “higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the oceans and stronger than steel,” stressing that the two countries had supported each other through difficult times.
