Bradford's multi-cultural atmosphere is an inspiration, say two Muslim campaigners for peace who have visited the city for the first time.

Muhammad Ijaz Noori and Shakeel Younis, of the Pakistan Council for Social Welfare and Human Rights, work to bring Christian and Islamic believers together in Pakistan.

Now they are visiting Bradford in a bid to see how people of different religions and cultures can live peacefully side by side. Bradford, with its minority Muslim population, is the reverse of Pakistan where Christians are vastly outnumbered.

Both men, who have faced death threats from extremists, say Bradford fills them with hope. And they plan to set up a similar organisation here to highlight and find support for their work.

Mr Noori said: "I am happy to see that Muslims and Christians are working together. Islam teaches us to respect the peoples of other religions. There is no room for extremism and prejudice and bloodshed in the name of our religion, as with Christianity."

Both men have travelled from Sialkot to Bradford following close contact with the Right Reverend David Smith, Bishop of Bradford, who visited Pakistan in October last year.

Mr Younis and Mr Noori were among campaigners who set up the council in 1992. Its newspaper, The Frontier Post, has a daily circulation of 80,000.

The organisation was among the first to condemn the destruction of the mainly Christian town of Shanti Nagar in February 1997. They staged a joint Christian-Muslim peace rally within days of the rioting, which was supported by thousands.

Mr Younis and Mr Noori, who wore black armbands for several days after the tragedy, say the outpouring of sympathy for the Christian minority was typical of most Muslims.

"Most Muslims are moderate,'' he added.

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