General Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), expressed his disapproval of the use of force or armed action by any militia, entity, or group other than the state. The remarks were made during an interaction with Islamic scholars at General Headquarters Rawalpindi, as per a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). COAS Munir also praised the ‘Paigham-i-Pakistan’ fatwa for countering extremist and terrorist propaganda. He urged ulema to propagate and implement it in its true spirit. The religious scholars condemned extremism, terrorism, and sectarianism and pledged their support for the efforts of the state and security forces to bring peace, tolerance, and stability to the country. They also emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace and any distorted interpretations are for vested interests and not in line with the true teachings of Islam. The forum also expressed support for the government’s measures to strengthen the state and acknowledged Pakistan’s concerns regarding terrorism emanating from Afghan soil. Additionally, they voiced their distress over the Israeli bombardment in Gaza, condemning it as “crimes against humanity”.