Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally praised the Pakistani religious leader’s decades-long services for peace, reconciliation, interfaith cooperation, and combating extremism and terrorism.
LONDON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 11th Sep, 2026) Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council and Coordinator of the National Paigham-e-Peace Committee, received the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation 2026 at a prestigious ceremony held on Friday in the Great Hall of historic Lambeth Palace in London.
The award was presented to Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi by Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally in recognition of his continued, decades-long role in promoting peace, reconciliation, moderation, interfaith and intra-faith harmony, minority rights and peaceful coexistence, and in opposing extremism, terrorism and sectarian violence.
The Hubert Walter Award is one of the Lambeth Awards.
It is presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury to recognise outstanding services to reconciliation and interfaith cooperation.
According to details issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi was among the prominent figures selected this year for recognition across five different categories of the Lambeth Awards.
He was presented with the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation.
The award represents significant international recognition of Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi’s long-standing services in peacebuilding, religious diplomacy and dialogue.
For decades, he has worked to bring religious and sectarian communities closer, promote mutual respect, defend the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups, support peaceful coexistence and play an active role in these efforts, while remaining firmly committed to his religious affiliation and Islamic identity.
Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi has previously received the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Global Peace Award in recognition of his services for peace, harmony and cooperation.
The OIC Global Peace Award and the Hubert Walter Award are two separate international awards reflecting recognition of his services in the Muslim world and the wider global community.
Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi’s journey extends from Pakistan to Makkah and from Makkah to the wider world, where he has continued to promote the message of peace, moderation, brotherhood, tolerance and dialogue.
He has raised his voice for the oppressed and adopted a strong and clear position against religious hatred, extremism, terrorism and sectarian violence.
These international awards are also a source of pride for Pakistan and the entire Muslim world, as they have highlighted the message of religious harmony, moderation, dialogue and peaceful coexistence globally.
Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi is also a member of the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of the Two Holy Mosques Council and a member of the International Muslim Forum.
He is also associated with several international Islamic and interfaith organisations.
