RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: The community leaders, social and political activists from different constituencies of Rawalpindi participated in the seminar on “Elections 2018 and rights of religious minorities ”organized under the auspices of Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
The speakers including; Peter Jacob (Director, CSJ), Zaigham Khan (Journalist, The News) and Michelle Chaudhry encouraged the participants to engage meaningfully during elections 2018 for realization o frights and protection of religious minorities in the country.
The speakers emphasized that a vibrant democratic process was crucial to address the issues of deprivation and exclusion of the religious minorities. The discussion focused the way forwards to ensure the economic, political and social inclusion of religious minorities in the national mainstream.
The discussants pointed out that the successive governments have failed to address issues such as religious discriminations in the education system, implementation of job quota, and institutional protection for minorities’ rights.
Addressing to the participants, the candidates belonging to different political parties including;(PTI) Ajaz Khan Jaze candidate for PP-18 and Samuel Yaqoobfor reserved minority seat and Asif Shazada (Christian) NA-53 Independent made commitment to make efforts to resolve issues that minorities face. The dignitaries including; Samuel Bashir, Fahimda Saleem-CSC, Nabila Feroz Bhatti, Kulsoom Sadiq (Project Coordinator-CSJ) were also present at the event.
The participants of the seminar passed a resolution affirming that they will participation upcoming general elections and shall support political parties that manifest determination and capacity to address issues faced by minority communities. The participants articulated following demands:
- Constitute an autonomous, independent and permanent National Commission for Minorities’ Rights that has a mandate to investigate violations of the rights of minorities as well as contribute advice on policy matters, moreover, provide effective remedies to violations of minority rights.
- Institute a statutory framework and a regulatory body for a referral and redressal mechanism against any grievances in implementation of 5% job quota reserved for religious minorities.
- Introduce five percent (5%) quota for admissions for the minority students, especially in colleges, universities, etc. in order to make the policy regarding job quota successful.
- Revise curriculum and education policy draft 2017 to ensure that discrimination on the basis of religion does not become part of the textbook and teaching practices. The new education policy should reflect a regard for fundamental rights of religion freedom and non-discrimination with minorities promised in the constitution of Pakistan.
- Respecting the promises in Articles 20, 22 and 25 of the constitution of Pakistan, arrangements should be made for students belonging to minority religions so that they can study their own religions rather than Ethics as an alternative to Islamiat and Nazrah.
- Implementation Committees at federal and provincial levels must be set up to ensure the implementation of orders in judgment issued by Supreme Court of Pakistan on 19 June 2014 and the recommendations of judicial inquiry of the Gojra tragedy of 2009.
