Address to World Summit 2017, Seoul, Korea, February 1 to 5, 2017
I stand here as an advocate of my faith, Islam. Unfortunately, it is a faith that is being strategically maligned around the world. It saddens me to see modern world politics exploit and abuse a faith whose core principles are based on peace and harmony, and one whose ideals rest on tolerance and justice.
It is obligatory to address the modern, negative stereotypes associated with not just Islam, but with all faiths practiced around the world.
Religion is indeed an emotional and spiritual aspect in the lives of billions of humans around the world. If we are to build a peaceful world around us, it is imperative that we stop judging and treating people based on their race, color, creed or faith.
The only road to peace is to strive for justice for all human beings, nationally and internationally, at all costs. Unless we set this as our ultimate goal, our aims to achieve international peace and harmony will only hang by a thread.
Parliamentarians, with the help of civil society members, have the duty to sincerely address the negative stereotypes against all faiths, especially Islam, as these stereotypes lead to intercommunal intolerance and violence.
We, as global citizens, and as members of our faiths, need to discourage people who defame and misrepresent our ideologies. It is this misrepresentation that is the biggest enemy to world peace.
I hope and pray that the collective efforts of this gathering shine as an example for the promotion of peace and harmony around the world.
Hon. Molana Haideri, Deputy Chairman of the Senate, Pakistan
Hon. Haideri is the Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan and the central General Secretary of the Assembly of Islamic Clerics party. He attended religious seminaries around the country, completing his Islamic studies with certification from Wafaq ul Madaris Al-Arabia. He opened the Jamia Shah Wali Ullah school in Kalat in 1984, teaching there from 1985 to 1990. He won a seat in the Balochistan Assembly in 1990 and served as a provincial minister. In 1993, he was elected to the National Assembly.
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