MIRPURKHAS: Speakers at a seminar held here on Thursday stressed the need for promoting interfaith harmony to defeat growing intolerance in society.

The seminar on non-Muslim marriage bill and interfaith harmony was organised by the Sindh Rural Partners Organisation.

Dr Qamar Wahid, an educationist, said that the majority should respect the rights of minorities, which were an integral part of the Constitution. Non-Muslim citizens of the country faced a host of problems because of non-existence of the law on registration of their marriage, she said.

She said that positive changes in attitude towards minority could be brought about in society through education and called for cultivating tolerance to promote interfaith harmony.

Prof Noor Ahmed Janjhi said that Sindh had remained a centre of peace and interfaith harmony in the subcontinent. There was the need to revive the golden traditions of yore and inculcate respect for people of other faiths, she said.

Arbab Nek Mohammad, writer, said that positive trends in society must be projected to give minorities a sense of security. All citizens were equal and the state must take measures to safeguard their rights without discrimination, he said.

Social activist Nasir Ali Panhwar said that communities must stand together to explore and celebrate their common history, culture and heritage, rather than bicker over religious differences.

He said that civil society could play a vital role in bringing closer various segments of society to ensure peaceful coexistence and preclude extremism and terrorism.

Journalist Satram Sangi said that the media must play a role to highlight issues of minorities and project role models of interfaith harmony but regretfully, media had its limitations while there was no investigative journalism.

Radha Bheel said that non-Muslims faced discrimination in their daily lives while they were unable to improve their quality of life because of abject poverty.

Ross Mehtani, Afroze Chohan, Rafiq Leghari, Juman Meghwar, Lina Khalid, Khalid Pervez Bhatti, Sher Mohammad Solangi, Salahuddin Kaka, Ghulam Hyder Birhamani and others also spoke at the seminar.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2016