International Council for Peace to redefine Pakistan’s image

Sohail Rashid

ISLAMABAD July 23, 2010: The International Council for Sufism and Peace will be established to redefine the image of Pakistan as a land of ‘sufis’ committed to peace and universal brotherhood instead of being wrongly perceived as a terrorist country.

This was stated by Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) Chairman Fakhar Zaman while addressing a press conference here on Friday. He said that it is a matter of unique honour for Pakistan to have successfully hosted the International Conference of Writers and Intellectuals in March, in which 87 scholars, authors and opinion-makers from 37 countries witnessed personally Pakistan as a citadel of ‘sufism’ committed to universal peace.

“Since the team of 87 icons of wisdom from all corners of the world is available to pursue the vision of ‘sufism and peace,’ it is imperative to establish a forum of these intellectuals on permanent basis as a council,” he explained.

The PAL chairman said that the headquarters of this council would be set up in Islamabad. Talking about the objectives of the council, he said that its main purpose is to introduce Pakistan as a centre of ‘sufism’ through conferences, seminars and research articles & books. He said that the council would establish ‘chairs’ of various ‘sufis’ of Pakistan and from other parts of the world in Pakistani universities to compile research papers and translate books of ‘sufis’ and saints in six languages recognised by the UN. It will also project the ‘sufi’ doctrine for peaceful co-existence and culture of tolerance. He said that they are trying to get funds from donor agencies like Unesco to complete the project.

Fakhar Zaman further said that the Pakistan Academy of Letters would produce television films on 14 ‘sufis’ from all four provinces of Pakistan in English language for the global audience. These documentaries will be subtitled in all UN accepted languages.

The positive image of Pakistan could be highlighted at international level through the promotion of its culture and the Pakistan Academy of Letters would do this job, he concluded.