KARACHI, Dec 11: Speakers at a demonstration on Monday demanded that the rights of the minorities be protected and all discriminatory laws be abolished immediately.

They were speaking at a demonstration organized by the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance at Karachi Press Club. Former MPA Michael Javed, Shahzadi Michael, Kauser Javed, Asia Saleem and others spoke on the occasion.

A mock scene was enacted at the demonstration showing a man being flogged. The participants, wearing black armbands and black headbands chanted slogans in support of their demands.

The speakers said though the Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in his first speech in the constituent assembly had ensured religious freedom to the minorities; the establishment was ignoring the Quaid’s directives. The minorities demanded that that the Quaid’s speech be made the preamble to the constitution. They also demanded that representation of the minorities be increased in parliament.

Pointing out that Sections 295 A and B of the Blasphemy Laws were being used to victimise the minorities in Punjab, they demanded that all laws discriminatory toward any section of the population be abolished.