April 22, 2006	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 23, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, April 21: Religious minorities have sought repeal of discriminatory laws, including those related to blasphemy and Hudood, and pledged a collective struggle for equal rights.

The Minorities’ Unity and Solidarity Conference, organised by All Pakistan Minorities’ Alliance (APMA) here on Friday, deplored the violation of the rights of Non-Muslims in Pakistan and attacks on their religious sites by mobs during the recent cartoon controversy.

Leaders of the minority communities, parliamentarians, delegations of Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists, Kalash and Biais from across the country and overseas participated in the conference.

Speaking on the occasion, APMA’s President Shahbaz Bhatti said discriminatory laws had hijacked the civil rights and were adversely affecting the religious minorities.

“We cannot appear in a court and record our statements as witnesses in Hudood cases. Are we not humans. Have we not rendered sacrifices in the Pakistan movement,” he questioned.

He criticized the Islamization policies of Gen Zia’s regime, which, he said, had encouraged religious extremism and promoted ‘Kalashnikove culture’ in the country.

Mr Bhatti said all non-Muslim citizens of the country wanted to see Pakistan free of extremism, religious fundamentalism, poverty and discrimination against marginalized communities.

The All Pakistan Minorities’ Alliance was trying to develop interfaith harmony and understanding, he said and sought cooperation of the Muslim community in this regard.

To create interfaith harmony, unity and solidarity in the country, APMA would soon organise a national solidarity conference in which various schools of thought would be invited.

Federal Minister Teree Div Ray said the growing religious intolerance was a great problem for Pakistan and it was time to combat extremism and fanaticism by uniting all the minorities and progressive sections of the majority.

He sought setting up of a permanent minority commission led by a High Court judge to safeguard the rights of minorities.

Group Captain (retired) Cecil Chaudhry, a member of All Pakistan Minorities’ Alliance executive council, said minorities were eager to cooperate with government for eradication of terrorism.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Bishop Anthony Lobo, arch bishop of Rawalpindi, Sardar Sohna Singh, Bishop Muno Romal Shah, bishop of Peshawar, Manzur Alam from the US, Josephine Almas from Canada and Father Yusaf.