Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council and Coordinator of the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee, Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, has received the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation. The prestigious honour was presented on Friday at a ceremony held in the Great Hall of historic Lambeth Palace in London.
The award was given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally. It recognises Ashrafi’s decades of dedicated work in promoting peace, reconciliation, moderation, interfaith and intra-faith harmony, minority rights and peaceful coexistence. The citation also highlighted his consistent stand against extremism, terrorism and sectarian violence.
The Hubert Walter Award is one of the Lambeth Awards presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury. It specifically honours distinguished contributions to reconciliation and interfaith cooperation. According to details shared by the Archbishop’s office, Ashrafi is among the leading figures recognised across five categories of the Lambeth Awards this year.
This international recognition marks an important milestone in Ashrafi’s long journey of peacebuilding, religious diplomacy and dialogue. For many years he has worked to bring different religious and sectarian communities closer, promote mutual respect, defend the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups, and advocate peaceful coexistence while remaining firmly committed to his Islamic faith and identity.
Ashrafi had earlier received the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Global Peace Award for his contributions to peace, harmony and cooperation. The OIC honour and the new Hubert Walter Award are two separate international distinctions. Together they reflect recognition of his efforts both within the Muslim world and in the wider international community.
His work has taken him from Pakistan to Makkah and then to many parts of the world. Throughout this journey he has carried a consistent message of peace, moderation, brotherhood, tolerance and dialogue. He has also continued to speak for the oppressed and raise a strong voice against religious hatred, extremism, terrorism and sectarian violence.
These international awards bring pride to Pakistan and the wider Muslim world. They highlight a message of religious harmony, moderation, dialogue and peaceful coexistence on the global stage.
Ashrafi currently serves as 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. He remains associated with several international Islamic and interfaith organisations.
