The closing ceremony of the first international recitation competition in Pakistan’s history was held at the Convention Centre in Islamabad, where Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar addressed the gathering as the chief guest. He termed this spiritual gathering as a proud moment in his life and said that organizing the international competition is a rich expression of Pakistan’s positive identity and religious harmony.
Ishaq Dar congratulated the Ministry of Religious Affairs and said that Pakistan organizes recitation conferences every year, but this time for the first time it has been expanded to the global level. He announced that next year, reciters from not only the Islamic world but also other regions of the world will be invited to this competition.
In his address, he said that this competition is the result of the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, however, due to his busy schedule, the Prime Minister himself could not attend the ceremony. According to Ishaq Dar, the reciters who came represented their countries and the Muslim Ummah in the best way, while all the judges performed their professional responsibilities well.
He said that the Quran is a message of unity, justice, mercy and peace for Muslims. Addressing the youth, he advised them to have a strong connection with the Quran and said that Pakistan is the only country that was established on the basis of the word, therefore, it is necessary to run the system here in the same light.
Ishaq Dar said that the Quran teaches respect for humanity – saving one life is saving the entire humanity. He stressed that the Quran negates corruption and terrorism and following it is the guarantee of the country’s stability.
At the end of his speech, he said that whoever betrayed Pakistan has become an example in history today. The Ummah has to unite and no power in the world can defeat a nation whose foundation is on faith and the Quran.
