Minorities were promised equal rights in Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's 1947 address and Article 2B of the Constitution, federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Deputy Convenor of Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) Co-ordination Committee Dr Farooq Sattar said on Saturday. "Constitutionally, minorities are equal Pakistanis," he said. He was addressing a ceremony held here at Alhamra Hall organised by Pakistan Minorities Movement in honour of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
Dr Farooq Sattar was the chief guest on the occasion. The function was attended by scores of MQM co-ordination committee members, party activists and people from different faiths and a large number of Christian community. MQM leader Dr Farooq Sttar said that MQM did not consider non-Muslims to be minorities. "They are Pakistanis...Terrorists and elements responsible are (actually) the minorities."
He promised that if MQM was elected to power, the word 'minorities' would be removed from the Constitution. Sattar claimed that people would revolt and get their basic rights if the government failed in this regard Paying tribute to Christian leaders who sacrificed for the country, Dr Farooq Sattar recited Urdu poetry praised their struggle for attaining rights at the time of creation of Pakistan.
He said that the large number of participants in the function sent a message to the government that they could not demolish people's awareness for achieving their basic rights. He said: "We are with our Christian brothers. We assure them full support on this occasion of August 11," he said, promising that MQM would continue to struggles for the protection of minorities. Church of Pakistan's Bishop Victor asked: "If we are wasting our talent like this how can our Pakistan make progress?"