Every citizen has equal rights in Constitution, says Bilawal

F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party and Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressing the National Minorities Convention at the National Assembly said that he appreciates the way the day is being observed in the National Assembly. The stance of the PPP from Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and till today is that every citizen of Pakistan has equal rights politically, socially and economically.
This is a part of our manifesto and the constitution. Now, it is the responsibility of every political party to work to change this dream into a reality. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the decision to observe Minorities Day every year on 11 August was taken by the PPP government. Now, we have to take practical steps to provide our people the opportunities to get their rights. The Speaker may form a committee representing every political party in this regard.
He said that forced conversions are an issue. Islam and the constitution do not permit forced conversions. We should come together and legislate to put an end to this. This House must look into the quota issue for every community and whether the quota is being implemented and people are getting employment opportunities. What can we do to make this a reality? We have to act and implement on the legislation for employment opportunities.
Our actions will tell the nation that we believe in Jinnah’s Pakistan. We want to see a Pakistan where every citizen is equal. The PPP has always tried to represent every community in elections. We want the representation of every community in our system. We have Mahesh Malani from Tharparkar who was directly elected as member of the National Assembly. We have Senator Krishna Kohli of the PPP, the first senator from her community. Every Pakistani remembers Shaheed Shahbaz Bhatti of the PPP who was a federal minister. He sacrificed his life but did not compromise on the rights of his people. We have the representation of non-Muslims in the Sindh cabinet. This was the promise made by the father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. We have to fulfil that promise.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to counter terrorism and extremism, stressing that no country can single-handedly solve complex peace and security issues in the region. His comments came during a meeting with the Director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO-RATS) Ruslan Mirzaev at the Foreign Office.
Bilawal welcomed the director and his delegation and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the goals and purposes of the SCO Charter and the “Shanghai Spirit”. The foreign minister underscored the importance of regional platforms such as SCO-RATS to promote coordinated efforts in countering terrorism and extremism. He also highlighted the need for developing common approaches to address persistent as well as emerging challenges. Bilawal appreciated the constructive role played by the Executive Committee of SCO-RATS in upholding the spirit of consensus and cooperation in achieving common objectives. The director emphasised that deliberately politicising discussions related to countering terrorism and extremism were counter-productive and contrary to the objectives of the organisation. Bilawal said that Pakistan would support all efforts that were aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of SCO-RATS. He commended the approach taken by the executive committee in developing consensus on the issue and assured the director of Pakistan’s constructive engagement in the matter.
Mirzaev is on an official visit to Pakistan. During the visit, he had working-level meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Counter Terrorism Authority, and other relevant security institutions. The director was given detailed briefings on Pakistan’s successes in countering terrorism and extremism, an overview of the regional situation, and threats posed by new and emerging challenges in the region.