Korean team calls for preserving Pakistan's Buddha site | June 15, 2008

It is often felt that clash over holy sites is one of the most formidable and combustible arenas in the world of interreligious relations. Paradoxically however, holy sites represent great opportunities for leaping forward in the face of the most challenging frontiers of interreligious affairs. All religions have a common intuition as to the fragility, preciousness, and great care needed to protect irreplaceable holy sites. On the basis of this shared generic understanding, enlightened religious leaders can pioneer ways to demonstrate creative designs for collaboration, and loving, mutual respect.

This account of North Asian Buddhists in Pakistan is very encouraging. (Kaufmann)

Korean team calls for preserving Pakistan's Buddha site

The News, June 15, 2008
Peshwar, Pakistan

A delegation of Korean Buddhists headed by senior monk Jeon Woon Deok Saturday urged the Pakistan government to initiate measures for protecting and restoring Buddha site in Takhtbhai and make it the biggest place for Buddha worship.
The seven-member team of the Buddhists visited the historic Mahabat Khan mosque to forge interfaith harmony. Deok and his delegation visited different section of the mosque and met its Khateeb, Maulana Yousaf Qureshi.

On the occasion, strict security measures were put in place as no irrelevant person was allowed to enter the mosque premises.

After their visit, Deok held a joint press conference with Yousaf Qureshi and said that the Korean and Japanese governments would finance a university in the NWFP for the protection of the historic Buddha sites. He said talks were underway with the government of Pakistan in this regard.

“Though physically we belong to Korea but spiritually we are deeply attached to Pakistan as Buddhisattvi spread in the whole world from here,” he added. He said all religions should work for the interfaith harmony and promote the message of peace.

Masjid Mahabat Khan Khateeb said that Buddhist community should closely work with the Muslims for bringing peace as Islam believed in peace and tolerance.