"The observance of the Minorities Day, every year on August 11, is an occasion to renew our pledge to social and political integration of our Non Muslim brethren in Pakistan, address their concerns as well as acknowledge and pay tributes to their role in nation building," said Pakistan People's Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in a message on the Minorities Day falling on August 11.
"I wish to reiterate the commitment of the Pakistan Peoples' Party to strive to ensure equal rights for all our Non-Muslim brethren as ordained by our religion, as enshrined in our Constitution, in the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights and as pledged to them by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
"The historic address of the Quaid on this day in 1947 in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan is the guiding principle for the Pakistan Peoples' Party in helping shape a modern, tolerant and progressive Pakistan in which no one is discriminated on the basis of religion and faith, he said.
"The party is aware of the concerns expressed by the Non-Muslims about the curricula and text books that appear to require their children take lessons not in conformity with their faith. This is a concern that needs to be addressed.
"It also shares the concerns of the non-Muslims over the increasing incidents of desecration of their places of worship and calls for effective and solid steps to protect their places of worship.
I also wish to recall with pride that it was the party's government that decided to observe August, 11 every year, reserved a five-percent quota in government Jobs, provided for four reserved seats in the Senate for the first time and started celebrating religious festivals of non-Muslims at official level.
"Let everyone on this day pledge to promote democratic values and culture as a necessary tool of promoting tolerance, peace and harmony and ending violence and extremism as well as addressing the concerns of our non-Muslim brethren."-PR
Comments
Comments are closed.