Islamabad, Aug 11: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday commended the excellent role of minorities in the national progress and prosperity and reiterated government’s resolve to protect their rights.
In a message on the Minorities’ Day, the prime minister felicitated them on the observance of the day and said that they were committed to welfare of the minorities and on this day, pledged the resolve to strive further in this regard.
He said the government of Pakistan was taking practical steps for the welfare of the minorities. The allocation of special seats, besides employment opportunities on merit for the minorities, spoke volume about the provision of equal opportunities to all, adding minorities’ representation in all institutions were being appreciated.
The prime minister said that the objective of observance of the day at the official level was to express solidarity with the minorities and acknowledge their contributions for the State of Pakistan, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
The minority communities had played vital role in the Pakistan Movement and since then had been playing their due role in the construction of motherland. Referring to the historic speech of the Founder of the Nation, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on August 11, 1947 in the Constituent Assembly, the prime minister said that Quaid had announced complete religious freedom to minorities.
Under the Quaid’s vision, the August 11 was being observed as a day to acknowledge minorities’ contribution and their identity, he added. The prime minister observed that the constitution of the country had guaranteed protection to the minorities’ complete and equal rights and the government was ensuring equal rights to all minority communities.
“The Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, Parsi and other religious communities living in Pakistan are the independent citizens of the country where they enjoy equal rights and freedom to lead their lives according to their faiths,” the press release in Urdu language quoted the prime minister as saying.
He said that the government highly appreciated the role of minority people who were rendering services in different walks of life. They had been in the forefront of the country’s defence and laid down their lives for the protection of the motherland, he added.He further stressed that they should play their role for the national progress without any discrimination and by displaying unity in their ranks.
The prime minister underlined that under Islamic teachings, the rights of minorities had been emphasized, adding tolerance, mutual respect and human rights protection without any discrimination were the identity of the Islamic society.
He said that the government had ensured protection to the minorities’ rights, their lives and properties and took solid steps for their welfare. Protection, looking after and embellishment of their sacred religious sites had been among the priorities of the government, he added.The prime minister also stressed upon Ulema and public to promote forbearance, tolerance, peace and interfaith harmony among the people and work with all the institutions in this regard.
