PESHAWAR, Nov 12: The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance on Sunday launched its membership drive.

The membership drive was launched on the call of APMA’s central president Shehbaz Bhatti. The campaign will continue till May 2007.

People belonging to various religious minority groups started gathering at the Christian Colony here in the Academy Town since morning. They belonged to Christian, Hindu, Balmeek, Sikh, Kalash and Parsi communities.

APMA provincial president Prince Jawed launched the drive. He said that the movement had been started simultaneously in 24 districts of the NWFP.

The gathering was addressed by Prince Jawed, APMA Islamabad and Rawalpindi coordinator Manzoor Khan Ghori, councillors James Shafi, Riasat Sodager, Yasmeen Jawed and others.

They said that the APMA was the representative organisation of all the minorities in the country and had never compromised on their rights.

They said they would continue struggle for abolishing discriminatory laws, and the would strive for establishment of a true democracy and enlightened system of governance in Pakistan in accordance with teachings of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.