PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar on Tuesday urged the followers of different faiths and sects to be tolerant in their thoughts and acts and join hands for durable peace in the country.

The event titled ‘community forum’ was organised by Individualland, the nongovernmental organisation, at a local hotel.

The representatives of Hindu, Sikh, Christian communities, civil society organisations and student groups participated in the seminar.

Noted among the speakers were Haroon Sarab Diyal, Rajesh Singh Tony, Joseph John, Taimoor Kamal, Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Party chairman Afzal Khamoosh and Individualland’s Sundas, who said peace, prosperity and development in the country would remain a dream until the people of all religions developed a positive thinking and had honour and dignity for each other.

They said all religious communities should prove themselves to be role models or agents of peace to promote interfaith harmony.

Haroon Sarab said members of his Hindu community were very poor and could not even think about raising voice for their rights for being a religious minority in the Muslim-majority country.

He said Pakistani Hindus had focused their attention on obtaining education, which enabled them to take their issues to proper forums for resolution.

Rajesh Singh Tony said it was the responsibility of the media to make the people of minorities aware of the laws and Constitution so that they could raise voice for their rights and against discrimination.

“We (religious minorities) are Pakistani citizens and have the right to get all facilities enjoyed by Muslim majority,” he said.

He said on community level, non-Muslims had no problems but the hate literature was the main hurdle to their progress and development.

He said derogatory articles in textbooks were creating hatred against non-Muslims, which was tantamount to disturbing peaceful atmosphere in the country.

Afzal Khamosh said it was the duty of the state to maintain peace, provide rights to the religious minorities and protect their lives and properties at all costs to remove the sense of deprivation.

An announcement was later made about the creation of the Minority Monitor Desk to highlight the issues facing non-Muslims in the country.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2017