PROFESSOR of Economics, Public Policy and Finance at Princeton University, Dr Atif R. Mian has been inducted in the newly constituted 18-member Economic Advisory Council of Pakistan. Princeton is a prestigious American university ranked number one among US campuses in the elitist Ivy League.

Dr Atif is also Director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Centre for Public Policy and Finance at the Woodrow Wilson School. The International Monetary Fund has identified Atif as one of the 25 young economists who it expects will shape the world’s thinking about the global economy in future.

It is sad that no sooner was Dr Atif nominated on the EAC that a controversy arose about his religion –he is an Ahmedi by faith-- and a few parliamentarians submitted a call attention notice in Senate regarding his selection.

There is no compulsion in religion, so says Islam. The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, in his first speech to the Constituent Assembly on Aug 11 said: “You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state,” and he also included Sir Zafarullah Khan, also an Ahmedi, in his cabinet as the Foreign Minister. Pakistan’s first law minister, Jogendra Nath Mandal, was a scheduled caste Hindu. Such was the vision and enlightenment of the Quaid.

The 1973 Constitution guarantees the fundamental rights of a citizen. Article 25 states that all citizens are equal, while article 27 is about safeguarding against discrimination in services, whereas article 36 deals with the protection of minority rights, including their due representation in the federal and provincial services.

I earnestly hope that the prime minister does not budge from his well-thought decision to appoint Dr Atif. May Pakistan prosper, and all citizens thrive in a peaceful and progressive country.

Ghazanfar Ali Zardari
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2018