National News

HYDERABAD, Aug 11 (APP): Like other parts of the country,
Christian and Hindu communities here on Friday observed
National Day of Rights of Minorities.
The Christian and Hindu leaders highlighted the issues of
minorities and called for the protection of their rights.
The “National Minorities Day” celebrated across the country
on 11th August by the minority groups officially, where events were
organized to highlight their rights.
Government also celebrated the day with a pledge to safeguard
fundamental rights, safety, security, honor, life, liberty and property
of the minorities.
Talking to APP on the occasion of National Minorities
Day, Chairman Minority Commission of Pakistan Advocate
M. Parkash,Programme Manager at Development Awareness and Management
of Natural Resource (DAMAN), Krishna Lal, Bishop of Hyderabad Church
of Pakistan Rt: Reve: Kaleem John, eminent educationist and social
worker Dadi Leela, Physician and Professor of Medicine and Pulmonolgy,
at Liaqat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), jamshoro, Dr.Santosh Kumar, Eminent journalists and others said that minorities
in Pakistan are enjoying equal status and privileges.
They also highlighted the speech of Founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali
Jinnah in which he said that everyone has a right to practice his or
her religion freely and we all are free to go to Churches, Mosques,
Temples and every worship place. This day urges us to promote and protect rights of minorities and also to do advocacy for equal rights and a pluralistic Pakistan, they added.
They said that minorities have played a memorable role from Pakistan
Movement to its progress and stability.
Paying tributes to the services of minorities for social and economic
development of the country, they said that minorities have equal rights under the constitution of Pakistan and Quaid-e-Azam in his speech on August 11 had highlighted their role as Pakistanis.
Referring to the history of Pakistan Movement, they said that Minority
community had decided voluntarily to support Pakistan and make every sacrifice for its creation.
They said that dedicating a special day for minorities also promotes
the image of Pakistan.”By observing this day, we want to give a clear message to the world that the Pakistani society is based on religious harmony, social justice, and human equality”, they added.
Besides the efforts of freedom fighters belonging to various classes of
the country, the minorities have played remarkable role with achievements
to their credit in making of Pakistan.
There is a need to highlight the contributions of the minorities during
the freedom movement for promoting interfaith harmony, peace and brotherhood in the country, they said.
They said that since the formation of Pakistan, minorities have been
contributing in every sphere of life and their political involvement is also worth appreciating.
They said that the history of Islam is full of examples in which the
minorities enjoyed peace, protection and equal social status and every political parties of Pakistan stands committed for the preservation of rights of minorities in Pakistan.
They said that minorities of Pakistan decided to observe this day on
August 11 because it has a special significance,