Pakistan stands for religious freedom, rights of minorities: PM

F.P. Report

GHOTKI: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Saturday said the Government of Pakistan ensured rights of all religious minorities, living in the country and stood for their religious freedom.

Expressing his wonder over a US report about religious freedom of minorities, the prime minister said he wanted to tell the US that Pakistan always stood for the protection of religious freedom of all minorities. As an independent and sovereign country, Pakistan is a peaceful abode for all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, he added.

The prime minister was addressing a gathering of Hindu community. Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, State Sinister for Inter-provincial Coordination Dr Darshan, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiqul Farooq, patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council and PML-N MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani and other leaders were also present.

The prime minister said today’s Pakistan belonged to the Hindu community as much as to others. Under the Constitution of Pakistan, all its citizens were equal and have equal rights, he added. “It is government’s responsibility to protect rights of all of its citizens. Whether it is federal or provincial government, it is their duty to ensure the religious freedom of all. Pakistan was created for this objective, “he underscored.

The prime minister said today’s world was too complex but the basic religious teachings were permanent. “Islam is a religion of peace, love and brotherhood. On August 11, 1947, our founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had made it clear that in the state of Pakistan, everyone was free to go to their places of worship. Pakistan belonged to all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.”

The prime minister said under the democratic system, public issues were resolved whereas in the despotic regimes, these were suppressed and stressed upon continuation of democratic system in the country. He said under the vision of Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N always talked of serving the masses which was its clear message. “It had always done politics of decorum and never used its platform for indecency. Neither it used its platform to degrade someone as the PML-N always stood for love and affection,” he added.

The prime minister said under the PML-N government, mega development projects in energy and power sectors were being implemented as it wanted a economically strong Pakistan with immense job opportunities for the youth. He expressed his optimism that the people would take appropriate decision in the upcoming general elections. He lamented that none in the previous regimes, ever tried to resolve the power and energy crises. Even from this province, different prime ministers had served the country, but none had ever constructed a motorway.

It was under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif that motorways were being constructed in Sindh province upto Sukkar, he added. The prime minister also took notice of the killing of two youth in Mithi and said that he had instructed the Sindh inspector general of police over the issue, however, it surfaced that the incident was result of some crime.

The government would not tolerate such incidents and would take action, he assured.