Speakers in a consultative meeting on Tuesday demanded of the provincial government to instead of Islamiyat include Dinyat subject in curriculum adding that dialogues were continued with the provincial government in this regard. A consultative meeting was held here at local hotel which was arranged by South Asia Partnership (SAP) Pakistan on topic "Religious freedom and minority rights".
Radesh Sing Toni of Sikh community, Augustin Jacob of Christian community, Program Officer of SAP Shahida Shah, Co-ordination SAP, Nusrat Ara, Facilitator SAP, Sanam Ara, including a Senior Journalist Shamim Shahid other journalists highlighted their issues.
The speakers urged the media to highlight the issues of minorities', as their population has exceeded in the province and the country. They said Pakistan is the second Muslim country with most populous minorities included Christians, Sikh, Hindus and Ahmadis. The speakers said that the constitution declares that adequate provisions shall be made for minorities to profess and practice their religious beliefs freely, other provisions of the constitution and laws impose limits on this right.
They said the minorities have repeatedly come under attack in Pakistan. A suicide attack on the historic All Saint Church in Peshawar last year left above hundred Christian's worshippers dead and injured about one hundred and fifty others and killing of some others in different incidents.
The speakers criticised members of minorities in KP assembly for not raising their issues on the floor of assembly. They urged provincial government to make elaborate measures and ensure protection of minorities' rights including education, health, security of lives and properties. The meeting also condemned the blasphemous caricature and said that it was happened due to the lack of education. They asked media to highlight the issues of minorities from time to time so that they could remain in mainstream.