QUETTA: Political figures, human rights advocates, lawyers, educators, young people and Christian community leaders raised a collective voice for resolution of minority issues at a public assembly on Sunday.

The event titled ‘Effective representation of minorities in the upcoming election’ was organised in collaboration of Centre for Social Justice and Minority Forum Pakistan.

Representatives from various political parties, including former senator Rauf Lala from Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Agha Gul from Balochistan National Party, and Anita Irfan of PML-N, presented their parties’ stances on minority rights. They expressed the commitment to take tangible steps to address the issues faced by minorities.

Additionally, Bishop Amanat Masih, Kashif Panizai, Benjamin Stephen, Suneel Malik, and others also shared their perspectives during the gathering.

CSJ director Peter Jacob, who presided over the meeting, put forth a set of demands concerning the rights of minorities including reinforcing legislation to eradicate child marriage, legislation to criminalise coerced religious conversion, forming a committee to implement the 2014 Jilani judgement, and eliminating religious content from the curriculum and non-religious textbooks to align with Article 22(1).

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2024