Minorities’ wings of Political parties join hands to protect Christians’ rights

Shamim Mehmood

Islamabad: Despite political differences, a 6- points joint agenda was adopted on Sunday by the All Parties Minorities’ Wings Forum, which was hosted by the JI-Ahl-e-Kitab wing and attended by PTI, PPP, PML-N and others. 

Demanding the Government to intensify its efforts to stop abduction of minor girls, the gathering strongly denounced forced conversion and discrimination at all levels against religious minorities, and decided to launch a countrywide protest movement to recover minor girl Arzu.

A joint consultative meeting was held in Islamabad hosted by Jimat-e-Islami (Ahl-e-Kitab wing-Islamabad) and attended by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and a large number of social activists. Christian political parties’ representatives and activists agreed to join hands together to work for eradication of poverty among Christians, girls abduction, underage marriages, faith base discrimination at all levels and above all setting own house in order.

The case of minor girl Arzu Raja, seeks the State’s as well international attention. The minorities’ representatives strongly condemned the practice of marrying underage girls’ of the Christian families using the pretexts of faith conversion and choice in marriage.

In an obvious reference to the powerful Islamic extremists, the minorities’ representatives expressed ‘‘extreme concern’’ over the increasing faith based discrimination, abduction, rape, forced conversion and underage marriages.

A comprehensive policy will be introduced to protect the rights of the religious minorities, particularly of Christian girls who often become victims of abduction, rape, forced conversion and underage marriages. The forum will take steps to stop discrimination at all levels through legislative, administrative and policy measures. The conference participants stressed that such incidents lead to widening of existing social divisions, distances and disharmony among communities of different faiths. The forum demanded the concerned authorities to look into the pattern of religious conversion and faith based discrimination. 

The district Islamabad president (PPP) Mr. Maqbool Khokhar, city president (PPP) Mr. Malik Rehmat Manzoor, Mr. Shahbaz Chohan, (Sec Gen-PTI), Mr. Jamil Khokhar, President (JI-Ahl-e-Kitab wing), Mr. Chaudhry Ashraf Farzand, (PML-N), Mr. Javed Bhatti, All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), Mr. Basharat Khokhar, social activist and others attended the meeting. Ex-Member National Assembly (MNA) Ms. Asia Nasir from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) conveyed her full support to the Forum in her brief telephonic address. PML-N leader Chaudhry Manzoor also extended his full support.