Government urged to protect all constitutional rights of non-Muslims

Representatives of human rights organisation demand of the government to take pragmatic measures to ensure all constitutional rights of non-Muslims and to provide equal opportunities and other facilities to them, to play their effective role in the development of the country; and they also stressed the need for making unified efforts to resolve their other issues.
Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club, Regional Programme Co-ordinator, South Asian Partnership (SAP) Pakistan, Fida Hussain said it is prerogative of non-Muslims to freely perform their religious obligations and avail themselves all rights according to the Constitution of the country. He, however, said the discrimination is continued with Non-Muslim communities, despite all rights given in the Constitution. He further attributed that the weak implementation of relevant laws, are also impediment in ensuring of all rights to religious minorities in the country.
Flanked by a representatives of Hindu community and Chairman All Pakistan Hindu Movement, Haroon Sarab Diyal, Chairman Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Heritage Council, Shakeel Wahidullah and human rights activists, Hussain highlighted the role of media is pivotal for sensitising the general masses about the basic rights of Non-Muslims in the country. He also called upon all the political parties, parliamentarians and human rights activists to raise voice for ensuring all Constitutional rights to religious minorities. Haroon Sarab Diyal said the rights are not given to Non-Muslims' communities according to Constitution of the country. He said the successive governments failed to provide due rights and other adequate facilities and equal opportunities to religious minorities to freely perform their religious obligations and equally participate in development of the country. He said the discriminatory attitude with Non-Muslims must be ended; and they should be treated as citizens of Pakistan, as they are playing fundamental role in progress and the development of the country, he added.
Sarab Diyal also expressed anguish over grabbing of Hindu properties and other religious places by influential people elsewhere in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and rest part the country. He particularly mentioned the government and law enforcement agencies did not give adequate security, due to which killing incidences of people belonging to religious minorities have been increased over the past many years.
Shakeel Wahidullah said the government's utmost duty is to ensure all legal rights and other facilities and equal opportunities to Non-Muslims, while considering them as the citizens of the country. He expressed deep concern over continuous killing of people belonging to religious minorities; urged the government and law enforcement agencies to make adequate arrangement for their security.
Representatives of SAP-Pakistan on the occasion also proposed the establishment of Directorate for amicable resolution of problems and issues of Non-Muslims, and demanding to constitute an independent judicial commission to probe the killing of a member of Sikh community in district Charsadda. They also demanded the government should strictly implement five percent quota of religious minorities in all public-sector departments, and take pre-emptive measures for security of non-Muslims.