Constitution guarantees equal rights to minorities: Ayaz

ISLAMABAD, Aug 10 (APP):Speaker of National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has paid tribute to the valuable contribution of minority communities to the development and progress of Pakistan, saying that minorities living in the country are rendering valuable services in all walks of life, including education, health, defence and trade.

Ayaz Sadiq said that under Article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan, all citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of law without discrimination on the basis of colour, race, sex or religion.

He expressed these views in his message on the occasion of National Minorities’ Day, observed across the country every year on August 11 with national spirit and enthusiasm.

Ayaz Sadiq said that National Minorities’ Day provides an opportunity to reaffirm the collective resolve to promote mutual respect, tolerance, interfaith harmony and national unity.

He said that in his historic address to the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, had articulated the fundamental principle that every citizen was free to practice his or her religion, visit places of worship and live according to his or her faith.

He said that Quaid-e-Azam’s historic address laid the foundation for a society based on religious freedom, equality, tolerance and the rule of law, where all citizens enjoy equal rights without discrimination on the basis of colour, race or religion.

Ayaz Sadiq said that the State of Pakistan is committed to the vision of Quaid-e-Azam and that all citizens living in Pakistan enjoy equal rights, including the right to religious freedom.

He said that the Parliament had always played an effective role in protecting the rights of minority communities, promoting interfaith harmony and ensuring equal opportunities through legislation.

The Speaker said that minority parliamentarians in the National Assembly were actively contributing to legislation and national affairs, which was a manifestation of the strength of Pakistan’s democratic and inclusive parliamentary system.

Referring to the outstanding contributions of prominent non-Muslim personalities of Pakistan, Ayaz Sadiq said that former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly C.E. Gibbon, former Speaker of the Punjab Assembly S.P. Singha, Justice A.R. Cornelius, Justice Dorab Patel, Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Dr. Ruth Pfau, Pakistan Air Force Squadron Leader Cecil Chaudhry, Pakistan Air Force Group Captain Kamran Bashir, renowned diplomat Jamsheed Marker and other non-muslim distinguished personalities, had rendered invaluable services in various fields. He said that their contributions constituted a proud and enduring part of Pakistan’s national history.

He said that the foundation of a strong, developed and prosperous Pakistan lay in equality, justice, religious freedom and the equal participation of all citizens.

Ayaz Sadiq reiterated that Parliament would continue to fulfil its responsibilities with commitment to protecting the constitutional rights of minorities, promoting religious tolerance and further strengthening national unity.

On the occasion, Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah said that National Minorities’ Day reminded us that people belonging to all faiths had played a significant role in the development and stability of Pakistan.

He said that tolerance, mutual respect and religious freedom were the foundations of a strong, peaceful and prosperous society.

He said that, in accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the spirit of the Constitution of Pakistan, it was a collective responsibility to build a society where all citizens could live with religious freedom and without discrimination on the basis of religion, colour or race.

Deputy Speaker reiterated that Parliament would continue to play its role in protecting the rights of minorities, ensuring equal opportunities and promoting interfaith harmony.