ATTOCK: The Sikh community on Thursday arranged an event to honour the services and sacrifices rendered by religious minorities to the country in connection with the National Day of Minorities at Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassan Abdal.
Speaking as Chief guest, Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), Amir Fida Paracha has said that in Pakistan, religious freedom and the protection of the rights of minorities are enshrined in the constitution and protected by a number of legislative, policy, and administrative measures.
He added that it has always been the endeavour of the government to safeguard the fundamental rights, safety, security, honour, life, liberty and prosperity of minorities in line with the historic speech of the founder of the nation Quaid-e-Azam
Mohammad Ali Jinnah at the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947.
Paracha was of the view that minorities are provided with equal rights to education, jobs and business opportunities in the country. “For example, they have reserved seats and senior positions in parliament, judiciary, bureaucracy and armed forces while they have been allotted four reserved seats in the Senate of Pakistan, ten in the National Assembly while they have been provided proportionate reserved seats in all provincial assemblies”. He added.
Sardar Ravinder Singh Jaggi Divisional vice president of minorities wing PPP while speaking on this occasion has called for the implementation of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s principles of tolerance and religious freedom. He added that in his 14 points, Muhammad Ali Jinnah had stated that if any piece of legislation was not endorsed by minorities it could not become a law.
PPP District Attock President Sardar Asher Hayat Khan speaking on the occasion said “The Sikh and Christian community has made tremendous contributions in the fields of medicine and education, ” he said. He said this country is the home of every Pakistani and everyone must contribute towards its development.
Zulfiqar Hayat Khan, Pakistan peoples party leader PP-3, speaking on this occasion said that Pakistan was the first country in the world which reassured its minorities about their future rights by specifically allocating a portion of the national flag.
He said that while some people have hijacked religious freedom in the country, the PPP is committed to bringing all citizens on one platform. He added that PPP always raises voice against the injustices of religious minorities in the parliament and this is part of his party’s manifesto.