President, PM renew pledge to empower minority communities

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have renewed the national resolve to work for the empowerment and advancement of minority communities.

President reiterated that they would continue their efforts to promote interfaith harmony, brotherhood and unity to build an inclusive and prosperous Pakistan

In a message on the occasion of Minorities Day, being observed on August 11, he said on this Day, they reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding and advancing the rights of minorities.

“This day reflects Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision of a Pakistan where every citizen lives in equality, harmony, and mutual respect,” President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.

The president said that the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan guaranteed equal rights to all citizens, irrespective of religion, caste, creed, or colour.

President Zardari said the Day was also an occasion to acknowledge the contributions of the minority communities to nation-building. They had served the country with dedication in the armed forces, judiciary, civil services, education and healthcare. Their patriotism and service remained a source of pride for the entire nation, he added.

The president noted that Pakistan had taken a number of measures for the welfare and empowerment of minorities. These include the establishment of the National Commission for Minorities, allocation of Minorities Welfare Fund, restoration and preservation of places of worship and provision of scholarships and financial assistance to minority students.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said the government of Pakistan guided by high religious and constitutional values was committed to the full inclusion of minorities in government institutions, Parliament and the national mainstream.

In a message on National Minorities Day observed on August 11, he said, “Today, the entire nation, including me, is celebrating National Minorities Day to protect the rights of minorities and appreciate their key role in the country’s development and progress.”

He said, ” Today, we renew our pledge to always strive for religious freedom and equal rights of minorities in the light of the teachings of the founder of Pakistan and Islamic teachings”

“The historic speech of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on August 11, 1947, is an ideological guarantee for the secure future of minorities in Pakistan,” he remarked, adding, “The welfare and well-being of all minorities in Pakistan, be they Sikhs, Christians, Hindus, Parsis, is one of the priority duties of the government of Pakistan.”

The prime minister said, “It is a matter of satisfaction that minorities in Pakistan enjoy all political, economic and social rights under the Constitution of Pakistan.”