Tahir Ashrafi receives Hubert Walter Award for reconciliation, interfaith cooperation in London

Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council and Coordinator of the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, has received the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation at a ceremony held at the historic Lambeth Palace in London. According to a press release issued on Friday, the award was presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, in recognition of Ashrafi’s decades-long contribution to peace, reconciliation, moderation, interfaith and intra-faith harmony, minority rights, peaceful coexistence, and his stance against extremism, terrorism and sectarian violence. "The Hubert Walter Award is among the Lambeth Awards presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury to recognise distinguished contributions to reconciliation and interfaith cooperation," it added. The statement said that Ashrafi was among the leading figures honoured across five categories of this year’s Lambeth Awards and received the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation. "The award represents an important international recognition of Ashrafi’s longstanding work in peacebuilding, religious diplomacy and dialogue," the statement added. It said Ashrafi had remained actively engaged for decades in bringing religious and sectarian communities closer, promoting mutual respect, defending the rights of minorities and vulnerable communities, and advocating peaceful coexistence while remaining firmly committed to his faith and Islamic identity. "Ashrafi had also previously received the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Global Peace Award for his contributions to peace, harmony and cooperation," the statement said. “The OIC distinction and the Hubert Walter Award are two distinct international awards,” the statement added, reflecting recognition of his work across the Muslim world and the wider international community. Read: Ashrafi urges pilgrims to observe Saudi laws His journey has extended “from Pakistan to Makkah, and from Makkah to the wider world”, carrying a message of peace, moderation, brotherhood, tolerance and dialogue, while advocating for the oppressed and maintaining a strong voice against religious hatred, extremism, terrorism and sectarian violence. The statement described the international recognitions as “a matter of pride for Pakistan and the wider Muslim world”, saying they highlighted a message of religious harmony, moderation, dialogue and peaceful coexistence. Ashrafi is also a Member of the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League, Secretary-General of the International Tazeem-e-Haramain Sharifain Council, and Member of the International Muslim Forum, and is associated with several international Islamic and interfaith organisations.