KARACHI: With an aim to explore strategies to enhance inclusivity, a diverse group of individuals, representing various faiths, aired their views regarding their representation in the media at a programme organised by the Karachi Chapter of the Pakistan-US Alumni Network (PUAN) with support of the US Mission in Pakistan held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral here on Saturday.

The programme was divided into two parts. The first part had individual speeches and the second a panel discussion. While speaking on the occasion, chairman of the Pakistan Khalsa Sikh Council, Sardar Amar Singh said that the media did not cover real issues faced by minorities. “Just covering our festivals is not enough. What about what lies beneath the surface?” He asked, while pointing out the missed stories about forced conversions, bandits in Ghotki and attacks on religious places of minorities.

Representing the Parsi community and member of CM Sindh’s Non-Muslim Welfare Committee Tushna Patel said that everyone deserves equal opportunity.

“Pakistan has various faiths. Stereotyping and biases can fuel societal divides. By amplifying our voices, you can build bridges and develop a better understanding about our faiths while creating empathy, understanding and open-mindedness to create a just and inclusive world,” she said.

MPA Rooma Mushtaq, an advocate and another member of the CM Sindh’s Non-Muslim Welfare Committee, said that she could assure the PPP government’s support to minority religious groups.

MNA Kheal Das Kohistani, representing the Hindu community, said that he was a Pakistani first. “So don’t call me a ‘minority’, don’t bracket me because I also experience the same issues you do such as electricity loadshedding and water scarcity,” he said while also lamenting that there was no non-Muslim governor or president in Pakistan.

He also said that when prime minister of India Narendra Modi says anything targeting Muslims in his country, it has nothing to do with the Hindus in Pakistan. “Please don’t blame us or make us suffer due to Modi’s actions,” he said.

Former Federal Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Shahida Jamil recalled the Quaid-i-Azam’s August 11, 1947 speech to the first Constituent Assembly where he had said to all religious minorities that they were free to go to their temples. “Muslims were looked down upon and discriminated against before partition, which led to the two-nation theory. Pakistan was to be a land where there was to be no discrimination,” she said.

The Bishop of Karachi and Balochistan Diocese, Church of Pakistan, Rt Rev Fredrick John, said that medium was important. “Most important is the medium of conversation to point out issues but pointing them out in the right way is also important. Many times I object to using the word ‘minority’. Words such as ‘minority’, ‘majority’, ‘intolerance’ and ‘tolerance’ create complexes. Such words must be avoided,” he said.

During the panel discussion, which followed, moderator Sadiya Samson asked her panellists different questions relating to the theme of diversity and issues of minorities.

President of Pakistan Young Hindu Forum, Advocate Mukesh Kumar Karara said that the media misinterpreted forced conversion cases by making it look like the girl willingly came to court to convert to Islam.

“There are a lot of crucial things that need to be highlighted but the media shows what the majority wants to see. And why don’t Hindu boys want to convert? Why just our girls?” He pointed out.

Founding Member, Minority Rights March, Sijal Shafique said that there were also other religious minorities in Pakistan but somehow the media here only focused on Christians and Hindus.

Another founding member of the Minority Rights March, Bhevish Kumar said that in Pakistan there was a holiday for Christians on Christmas only because it also happens to be the birthday of the Father of the Nation.

Deep Kiran Rajani, another minority group member, who is Senior Deputy Director of Human Resources with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, narrated an incident her little daughter faced in school sometime back. “We feel that we are Pakistanis as we were born here. We want to think for and work for Pakistan but sometimes this positivity is hurt by a negative attitude or person,” she said. “When my daughter was in class one, a classmate told her friends not to talk to her because she was not Muslim,” she shared.

Writer and content creator Shehzad Ghias Shaikh said that exclusion was built in Pakistani society. “We tell our children that this country was created because of the two-nation theory, because we could not live with Hindus, who looked down on us and treated us like untouchables. Then we tell our children to make friends with their Hindu class fellows,” he said. “The ideas that most people have been raised on need to be challenged,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2024