PESHAWAR: Speakers at a ‘peace conference’ on Thursday urged the people belonging to different segments of the society to make joint efforts for sustainable peace and harmony in the country.

The event was held under the aegis of Pakistan Council of World Religions (PCWR) at the Archives Hall here. Prominent among the speakers included KP Assembly deputy speaker Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, PCWR chairman Qari Rohullah, CM’s special assistant on minorities Ravi Kumar, All Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement chairman Haroon Sarab Diyal and Church of Pakistan moderator Bishop Humphrey Sarfraz Peter.

The speakers condemned the incidents of rape and murder of minor girls in Kasur and Mardan and said that it was duty of all the people irrespective of religion to join hands for maintenance of sustainable peace in respective localities to ensure protection to their children, women and poor people.

The representatives of minority groups pointed out problems being faced by them and gave suggestions to ensure protection to the people and their worship places.

They also demanded implementation of five per cent job quota for the non-Muslims to accommodate the educated youth in various government departments.

Ravi Kumar and Mehr Taj said that the provincial government was determined to resolve the issues of non-Muslims.

They said that all the citizens had equal rights irrespective of religion and the government had already done a lot of work on legislation to ensure protection of rights of the people.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2018