KU seminar discusses violation of human rights in Pakistan

• Human rights violations matter of concerns for all .
• The burning of church in Jaranwala is a stark reality.
• First sectarian violence took place in 1963 in Pakistan.

KARACHI: The human rights violations in Pakistan, particularly in relation to the recent burning of a church in Jaranwala, are a matter that concerns us all. Regardless of our geographical location or background, it is our duty as global citizens to advocate for justice and equality.

The burning of a church in Jaranwala last week is a stark reality of the urgent need to address human rights violations around the world. We must not remain silent in the face of such atrocities. We should stand together for justice, equality, and freedom of religious rights of citizens and monitories in Pakistan.

These views were expressed by the speakers at the one-day seminar entitled “Sectarian Violence: Violation of Human Rights held at University of Karachi.

Justice (Retired) Nazar Akbar said that minorities have equal rights in the constitution and law and complete protection of minorities can be ensured if we follow the constitution and law.

He informed the participants about the laws related to the rights of minorities in the Pakistani constitution and urged them to study the law and constitution so that they could know more about their rights.

Former MPA Sharmila Faruqui said that the first sectarian violence took place in 1963 in the country and we are talking about the same issue in 2023. She observed that as a nation we have not learned anything from the past.

She mentioned that after the establishment of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had said that everyone has religious freedom in Pakistan, but, unfortunately, it is not implemented to date.

Another speaker, Senator Shahadat Awan said that our country is the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and we should follow the Qur’an and Sunnah. In 1963, the first sectarian violence happened in Khairpur, on which the Supreme Court gave a decision.

He mentioned that it is necessary to raise a voice against violence and human rights and we need to take practical steps to eradicate sectarian violence and violation of human rights from the country.

On this occasion, the former law minister Barrister Shahida Jameel said that in the last sermon of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), there was a message for Muslims that all are one race. What are we doing in the name of Islam? Are we not violating the last sermon of our beloved Holy Prophet (PBUH)?

Renowned journalist Mazhar Abbas said that sectarian violence is also a violation of human rights. “Every citizen in Pakistan, regardless of whether he/she belongs to any school of thought, is in the minority or in the majority, has full freedom to live according to their religion.”

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Vice Chancellor of KU Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said that the incident in Pakistan is not an isolated event, but rather a symptom of a larger problem. He shared that discrimination against religious minorities has been an ongoing issue in the country.