Minorities committed to making Pakistan stronger: moot

Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Religious Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Friday said that religious minorities of Pakistan were enjoying equal rights in the country and the government was making efforts to address the challenges facing the marginalized groups.

Addressing an Istehkam-e-Pakistan conference at the Praying Hands Cathedral Church hosted by Bishop of Raiwind Diocese Dr Azad Marshall, Ashrafi said that no person or group would be allowed to impose their beliefs on any minority group.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken notice of complaints of forced conversion of minority girls and the misuse of the blasphemy laws and the government is making sincere efforts to address these issues through effective legislation,” he said.

He added that minorities had complete freedom to perform their religious rituals. “Islam gives a message of love, peace, harmony and brotherhood,” he said.

Ashrafi said that the foreign policy of the country was completely independent and the National Action Plan against terrorism and extremism was being implemented in letter and spirit. “Operation Raddul Fasaad was successful due to joint struggle of the Pakistani nation and the Pakistan Army. We salute the martyrs and Ghazis of Operation Raddul Fasaad,” he said. 

Addressing the moot, Bishop Marshall, who is also the president of the National Council of Churches in Pakistan, urged the government to ensure integration of religious minorities in the national mainstream.

“Christians have always played a constructive role in the development and solidarity of Pakistan. We love our country and are always on the beck and call of our army for defending our motherland against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” he said.

Marshall said that while it was heartening to see minority people being included in the mainstream, there was still a lot more that needed to be done at the government level to ensure their equal rights and protection from extremist elements.

“Forced conversion and marriage of minority girls and blatant misuse of the blasphemy laws are some of the major issues facing religious minorities, especially Christians and Hindus. We urge the government to bring effective legislation in this regard as well as form a high-level panel comprising representatives from the religious and political leaderships to address these concerns,” he said.

The church leader said that Christians were a patriotic community and would continue to project Pakistan’s national interests on all international forums. “We have been voicing our concern on the atrocities being committed against innocent Indian Christians and Kashmiri Muslims by the fascist Modi regime in India and demand that the world community should take notice of the gross human rights violations being committed in our neighbouring country,” he said.