Minorities convention held in Pakistan
Monday 08 Jun 2009
By Dan Wooding and Sheraz Khurram Khan
Saturday, June 6, 2009
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A “Minorities Solidarity Convention” was organized in Islamabad, Pakistan, on May 29, 2009, by the Ministry of Minorities Affairs and attended by religious minority leaders from across the country.
The minority leaders pledged their trust in the leadership of the Federal Minister for Minorities, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, and they applauded the government’s commitment to “uplift and empower” the religious minorities in Pakistan.
The Federal cabinet in its session on May 20, 2009 approved the proposal, presented by Mr. Bhatti, to allocate five percent job quota for minorities in all Government / Federal services including attached Departments, Autonomous Bodies, Public Corporation and companies of Federal Government.
This reservation will also apply to the posts to be filled through the Civil Superior Service of Pakistan examination.
Speaking at the Convention, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, said that the rights of the minorities would be fully protected in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and the vision of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, known as the founder of Pakistan.
He said, “The government will fulfill all obligations made to the minorities in the light of the sayings of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah to treat all Pakistanis as equal in rights without the discrimination of caste, creed and color.”
The prime minister said that he asked all ministries to ensure the implementation of five per cent quota for minorities in government services. He said the provincial governments too would be directed to comply with the same principle.
The prime minister had previously announced that August 11 would be observed as the “Minorities Day.”
He also said that an inter-faith complex would be set up in Islamabad at the earliest to serve as the centre to work for interfaith harmony.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Minister for Minorities for organizing the event at this critical juncture. He said it was strengthening to note that representatives from all religious sects of the country had gathered here to express solidarity with the Government.
Speaking on the occasion, the Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, said promotion of inter-faith harmony was the best way to fight “extremism and militancy.” He thanked the Prime Minister for fulfilling the longstanding demand of minorities by allocating five per cent quota in government jobs for them.
He said the minorities were fully behind the government in this hour of trial when terrorists were challenging the writ of the government and committing violence in the name of religion.
Mr. Bhatti went on to say that the minorities had played a pivotal role in the creation of Pakistan and would continue working for progress, prosperity and stability of the country.
He declared that all discriminatory laws against minorities’ would either be repealed or suitably amended.
The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Babar Awan, said Pakistan was the first country in Asia to have allocated a five per cent quota of jobs for minorities, and that the cabinet’s decision was a constitutional guarantee and its implementation would be ensured in letter and spirit.
Others who spoke on the occasion were Raja Tri Dev Rai, Bishop Anthony Lobo, Om Parkash, advocate, Sardar Kalyan Singh, Bishop Alexander John Malik, Bishop Samuel Azaraya, Archbishop Lawrence Saldana, Dr Rohi and others, and all commended the government’s decision of allocating job quota for minorities and particularly appreciated the efforts of the Federal Minister for Minorities Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti for making it a reality.
They said the minorities would continue to play their role in transforming Pakistan into a moderate, democratic and liberal country in accordance with the vision of the country’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
The minority leaders pledged solitary with the Government in this hour of crises and presented the Prime Minister with cheques for the internally displaced People (IDPs) of the North West Frontier Province.
