Scholars call for collective action to protect Holy Mosques

ISLAMABAD: A broad group of religious scholars and leaders from across Pakistan on Tuesday called for a collective and unwavering commitment to the protection and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain, saying the security of Baitullah and Roza-e-Rasool (peace be upon him) is a matter of faith and a shared concern of the entire Muslim Ummah rather than a sectarian issue.

The call was issued at a gathering of ulema and mashaikh in the federal capital, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). The scholars stressed that Muslim unity was essential and that the protection of the Two Holy Mosques should not be treated as the concern of any single sect or group.

APP reported that the gathering included the chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council and other religious leaders. The official news agency did not name individual participants in the portion of its report available to Skardu Times. Arab News carried a similar account, reporting that Pakistani scholars had called for collective resolve to protect the Two Holy Mosques and uphold Muslim unity.

In a related report, Business Recorder said Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar stated that Pakistan was committed to global peace and security. The report did not provide further details of the statement in the available text.

The declaration follows persistent calls from religious and political circles for unity on issues concerning Islam's holiest sites. Participants at the gathering urged the Muslim Ummah to remain united in safeguarding the holy places and to avoid divisions along sectarian lines. The Haramain Sharifain, comprising the Holy Kaaba in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, hold central importance for Muslims worldwide, and the scholars said safeguarding these sites is a collective duty of all Muslims, transcending national and sectarian boundaries.

No further details about the organisers of the gathering or the number of participants were immediately available.