President, PM, political leaders call for unity, tolerance on Ashura

ISLAMABAD: The top political leadership on Friday issued a collective appeal for national unity, religious tolerance, and inter-sectarian harmony, as millions across the country observe the holy day of Ashura under heavy security blankets.

In separate messages, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged religious scholars and the youth to leverage the historical significance of the day to counter extremism and promote mutual respect across different schools of thought.

“The tragedy of Karbala is not merely a historical event, but an eternal message and a living source of guidance for humanity,” President Zardari said, stressing that its core values are essential to navigating contemporary societal divisions.

Prime Minister Sharif stated that the stand taken by Hazrat Imam Husain (RA) demonstrated that sacrificing one’s life for truth, justice, and human dignity is far superior to submitting to tyranny and falsehood.

In her message, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that the events of Karbala provided an “eternal charter of political morality” and revived the ethical conscience of Islamic civilisation.

Separately, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Hamza Shehbaz echoed calls for spiritual resilience in the face of modern hardships.

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq stated that national cohesion is now “indispensable” to permanently eradicating terrorism and extremism from the country.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the martyrs of Karbala, noting that their refusal to bow to oppression serves as a timeless blueprint for confronting injustice in every era.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi issued parallel statements, framing the historical commemoration as a catalyst for national integration and a symbolic source of courage for the oppressed worldwide.

Sindi Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah called for unity and tolerance on the Ashura day.

He said that approximately 60,000 security personnel had been deployed to secure 1,300 processions and 1,600 religious gatherings (majalis) across the province.

“While there is no specific imminent threat, our adversaries are always looking for opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities during such mass events,” Shah told reporters in Karachi, adding that organisers were working in lockstep with law enforcement to maintain order.