PESHAWAR, Dec 10: The All-Pakistan Minorities’ Alliance (APMA) on Sunday called upon the NWFP governor not to approve the controversial Hasba Bill as it was aimed at curtailing civil liberties and rights of the minorities.

The demand was made at a rally organised to mark the International Human Rights Day.

The leaders of the alliance asked the federal government to do away with all discriminatory laws, including the blasphemy law.

Belonging to different communities including Hindu, Balmeek, Sikh and Christian the participants of the procession also staged a sit-in near the Peshawar Press Club. The rally was led by APMA provincial president Prince Jawed, councillors James Shafi, Riasat and Yousaf George.

The participants were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the Hasba Bill. They were raising slogans in support of their demands.

Addressing the participants of the procession, Prince Jawed said that Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali JInnah had assured equal rights to the minorities in his address to the Legislative Assembly on Aug 11, 1947. He said the Quaid had assured the minorities due representation in different institutions of the country. However, he said, despite the passage of about 60 years, the minorities had not been given representation in some institutions such as the Senate.

Mr Jawed said that the NWFP minorities had voted in favour of Pakistan during the historic referendum of 1947, but now in the same province laws like Hasba Bill had been passed by the assembly which would undermine rights of the minorities. He feared that their personal and family laws would be badly hit once the Hasba Bill took effect.

Mr Jawed said that the minorities had staged demonstrations across the country against the controversial bill, but the provincial government was bent upon implementing the controversial bill.