KARACHI: Community leaders, social and political activists from different constituencies of Karachi participated in a seminar on ‘Elections 2018 and rights of religious minorities’ organised by Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Peace and development Foundation and National Commission for Justice and Peace.
The seminar was attended by Naumana Suleman (CSJ) and Nuzhat Shirin, who encouraged the participants to engage meaningfully during elections 2018 for realisation of rights and protection of religious minorities in the country.
The speakers emphasised that a vibrant democratic process was crucial to address the issues of deprivation and exclusion of the religious minorities. The discussion focused the way forwards to ensure the economic, political and social inclusion of religious minorities in the national mainstream.
The discussants pointed out that the successive governments have failed to address issues such as religious discrimination in the education system, implementation of job quota, and institutional protection for minorities’ rights.
Addressing the participants, the candidates belonging to different political parties including Saeed Ghani and Anthony Naveed of PPP, Miftha Ismail of PML-N, Raheela Tiwana of GDA, Mangala Sharma of MQM and independent candidate Liaquat Munawar guaranteed to make efforts to resolve the issues that minorities face.
The dignitaries including Safina Javed, Seema Maheshwari, Kashif Anthony, Nauman Peter, William Sadiq, Ravi Kumar and Robin Sharif were also present at the event.
The participants also passed a resolution affirming that they will participate in upcoming general elections and shall support political parties that manifest determination and capacity to address issues faced by minority communities.
The participants articulated demands including constitution of an autonomous, independent and permanent National Commission for Minorities’ Rights that has a mandate to investigate violations of the rights of minorities as well as contribute advice on policy matters, moreover, provide effective remedies to violations of minority rights.
Moreover, it was also demanded that a statutory framework and a regulatory body be constituted for a referral and redressed mechanism against any grievances in implementation of 5 percent job quota reserved for religious minorities.
Revision of curriculum and education policy draft 2017 to ensure that discrimination on the basis of religion does not become part of the textbook and teaching practices was demanded, it was said that the new education policy should reflect a regard for fundamental rights of religious freedom and non-discrimination with minorities promised in the constitution of Pakistan.
Other demands included respecting the promises in Articles 20, 22 and 25 of the constitution of Pakistan, arrangements should be made for students belonging to minority religions so that they can study their own religions rather than Ethics as an alternative to Islamiat and Nazrah and implementation Committees at federal and provincial levels must be set up to ensure the implementation of orders in judgment issued by Supreme Court of Pakistan on 19 June 2014 and the recommendations of judicial inquiry of the Gojra tragedy of 2009.
