Lahore: US Consul General to Lahore Kristin K. Hawkins has said that she looked forward to concrete steps to safeguard rights and security of minorities communities in Pakistan.
During her visit to the Salvation Army Church in Jaranwala, Faisalabad the other day, the Consul General said the United States is committed to protecting religious freedom and freedom of expression, and ‘we will remain a partner of the people of Pakistan in related efforts’.
Reminiscing her presence at the ‘Special Session’ of Punjab in Lahore held on August 11 to commemorate National Minorities Day, she commended Punjab Assembly for convening a meeting to focus on both the achievements and challenges faced by minority communities in Pakistan.
On her visit to the church, she said it was sobering to hear directly from Christian residents of Jaranwala about last year’s attacks on churches and homes, as well as the impacts of those attacks.
‘Violence, or the threat of violence, is never an acceptable form of expression,’ the US dipl
omat said during her visit to the church which was attacked in in August last year.
Kristin K. Hawkins, during the visit to Faisalabad and Jaranwala, met civil society, community members, and government representatives and discussed importance of religious freedom and need of sustained efforts to protect diverse community members’ security and fundamental freedoms.