New Delhi: The Pakistan government has said only a state has the right to declare jihad and vowed to take strict action against individuals calling for holy war on social media under the country's cyber crime law.

"Only state can declare jihad. No group of people has the right to announce jihad against another group," said home minister Ahsan Iqbal while addressing the national assembly in Islamabad.

A recent amendment in the constitution about election laws, changing the word 'oath' with 'declaration' about the finality of Prophet Muhammad in the nomination papers, created a stir in Pakistan, with charged activists denouncing the government on social media and calling for "jihad" against those responsible for change in the law.

Under pressure, the government described the oversight as a "clerical error" and reversed the law on Thursday by passing a bill from the lower house of parliament.

Calling on clerics and religious leaders to denounce the fatwas for jihad posted by people on social media, the minister said a very lethal campaign was launched since the "clerical error" in the constitutional amendment, with people calling for killing of government functionaries.

"The enemies of the state want Muslims to behead each other. If we continue treading this path of violence and unrest, then there is no need or enemy from outside to destroy us," Iqbal said.