Hafiz Saeed’s Friend to Lead Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Initiative

In a recent move, the Pakistani government has assigned Hafiz Saeed’s associate to manage and control terrorist elements within the country. A committee of religious scholars has been formed to oversee this task and work towards maintaining peace, as per the Information and Broadcasting Minister. Tahir Ashrafi, known for his close ties with Hafiz Saeed, will coordinate the committee’s efforts. Their association is evident from shared platforms and Ashrafi’s presence with Saeed at the Lahore High Court in 2018. Their alliance also resulted in the Palestinian ambassador leaving Islamabad in 2018. Ashrafi is a prominent Islamic scholar from Punjab province, holding a degree in Islamic studies and is active on social media. He was appointed as a religious affairs advisor by the Imran Khan government in 2020. He has expertise in Middle Eastern matters and is influential in Pakistani politics. He studied at Punjab University and was a journalist prior to pursuing a PhD. The Shehbaz Sharif government has decided to establish a peace committee to address rising terrorism. This committee includes religious figures like Haji Abdul Karim, Abdul Rahman, Arif Hussain Wahidi, Naqib ur Rehman, Hussain Naeemi, and Tahir Ashrafi as the coordinator. The committee also comprises Rajesh Hardasani from the Hindu faith and Bishop Azad Marshall from the Christian faith. The primary objective of the committee is to engage with terrorists and promote stability within Pakistan.