Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif received, on Tuesday at the headquarters of Al-Azhar, Mr. Sajid Bilal, Ambassador of Pakistan to Cairo, to discuss a number of issues of common interest. At the beginning of the meeting, the Pakistani Ambassador briefed the Grand Imam on the outcome of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit on the Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan, held in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, in the presence of representatives of the Foreign Ministries of OIC Member States, representatives of some non-Muslim countries, the United Nations and other international organizations. The Pakistani Ambassador also reviewed the tragic situation suffered by the Afghani people, including a severe shortage of basic materials such as food, water, medicine and relief supplies, referring to the United Nations report on the situation in Afghanistan. According to the report, it is expected that 97% of the Afghani people would be below the poverty line, and that the world is expected to witness the worst humanitarian catastrophe in history, especially with the coming of winter, in case there is no international solidarity to remedy this tragic crisis.

On his part, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif, pointed out that Afghanistan is a dear country in the Muslim nation, and that he feels the pain, worries and suffering of the Afghani people, and the catastrophic and inhumane conditions they have been enduring, in light of global silence, calling on Allah Almighty to expedite the relief of their distress and to save them from the pitfalls that have befallen them and devastated everything. His Eminence affirmed that Al-Azhar is fully prepared to support the Afghani people and stand with them in their plight, noting that the current situation requires that all the people of conscience and all parties of the Muslim, Arab and international community show solidarity to rescue the Afghani children, mothers and the elderly, and to do their best to support those people, who have suffered greatly and have been victims of inhumane political agendas.  

The meeting touched on the historical relations between Al-Azhar and Pakistan and ways to enhance cooperation between the two parties towards enhancing the tolerant image of Islam, promoting harmony between the followers of different religions and combating extremism and religious fanaticism. The two parties agreed to enrol 50 Pakistani imams and preachers to be trained at Al-Azhar International Academy for the Training of Imams and Preachers, and to work on putting a special curriculum that matches the nature of the issues relevant to the Pakistani society.