Minorities’ protection bill to be tabled in NA soon

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for National Harmony Akram Masih Gill on Thursday said a minorities’ protection bill would soon be tabled in the National Assembly to introduce Marriage Registration Act for Sikh, Hindu, Parsi and Bahai communities in the country.
He expressed these views while talking to Australian High Commissioner Tim George who called on him here to discuss national harmony and minorities’ issues in Pakistan. Fiona Hamilton, Second Secretary Political of Australian High Commission, was also present on the occasion.
The minister hailed the interest of the Australian government for the welfare of minorities in Pakistan and government policy towards national harmony, adding, that the “government of Pakistan is committed to the uplift of minorities socially by economic empowerment and removing discriminatory actions against non-Muslims”.
Mr Gill said interfaith harmony was the top priority of the government which wanted to promote friendly relations between the country’s Muslims and non-Muslims. He said interfaith harmony committees were being re-activated at district levels for the purpose.
He sought the help of the Australian government to provide clean drinking water to minority populated areas and to establish skill training centres in order to empower them economically.
The Australian ambassador said scholarships would also be ensured for students from religious minorities.

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Sherry Rehman highlights discrimination, inequality & violence against minorities

Jinnah Institute has published a 70-page report called 'A Question of Faith', which was released by the Asian Human Rights Commission.

Jinnah Institute is a think-tank headed by the former information minister and a parliamentarian Sherry Rehman, she emphasized the need to reinstate the model of inclusive citizenship envisioned by Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

The report compiled over the period December 2010 – April 2011 documents the deterioration in the political, social and economic status of members of religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly the rising tide of vigilante violence against them and criticizes President Zardari's government for backing off from repealing, or even discussing, the country's controversial blasphemy law.

The report highlights that violence and extremism is threatening Christians, Hindus and Ahmedis,  and growing incidents of mob violence against minority groups providing examples of abductions and forced conversions of minority women.

The report warned extremists posed a serious threat to Pakistan's stability.

The report calls for repealing the country's controversial blasphemy law and urges the government to urgently undertake political and judicial reforms to ensure equality for Muslims and non-Muslim citizens of Pakistan.

The institute has listed 23 recommendations, including the removal of impunity for prayer leaders in mosques, police and judicial reforms and clarification of the status of Federal Shariat Court and the Council of Islamic Ideology. It also calls for an appointment of a “Special Ombudsman” to protect the rights of women and minorities.

The research team of the Jinnah Institute interviewed 125 people including minority representatives, victims and non-governmental organisations’ workers all over Pakistan between December 2010 and April 2011. 

Interviews with Christians of different age groups and professions revealed that many of them felt they “are treated as second-class citizens and discriminated against in all aspects of life.” Moreover, most of those who can, do move away from Pakistan. Those who choose to stay back do so because of a strong sense of commitment to the country and being ‘Pakistani even though they are persecuted on the basis of their religion.

Christians in rural areas have to deal with instances of their land being grabbed by local Muslim residents and in some of the more serious incidents, the Christian residents are then unable to return to their homes.

Eighty per cent of the Hindus in Pakistan live in Sindh, and “are victims of caste and wider religious discrimination,” said the report. They do not own lands and work on daily wages, a consequence of them not having any permanent settlement. The report said, “One day, they are with one landlord, the next day with another. And this is how they spend a life of debt, with no accountability or education.”

Their castes have translated into daily life. For instance, Hindus from a lower caste might be restricted to a separate water well in a school, “from which even the Muslims will not drink”.

Higher caste Hindus have their own set of problems to contend with. They live in a state of insecurity and are frequently kidnapped for ransom. For instance, 82-year-old Lakki Chand Garji, a prominent Hindu spiritual leader, was kidnapped on December 21, 2010 and his whereabouts are unknown to date.

Then there’s the matter of Hindus being suspected of having sympathy for India. Some Hindus said that “they dealt with the repercussions of the destruction of the Babri Masjid across the border in India in 1992.”

Violence against the Ahmaddiya community has also been on the rise in the past three years, it was reported.
The report attributed the increase in violence to maulvis “promoting such attacks and inciting violence in their sermons and in the media.” 

We are starting in the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one caste or creed and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State.- Mohammad Ali Jinnah, August 11, 1947 – Address to Pakistan's first Constituent Assembly

Akram Masih Gill demands scholarship funds for minorities to be increased

State for Interfaith Harmony and Minorities Affairs Minister Akram Masih Gill said scholarship funds for children of the minorities will be increased from Rs 16 million to Rs 20 million.
Minister of State for Interfaith and Harmony Akram Masih Gill, who also belongs to the PML-Q, has been given full charge of the ministry. was named “Minister of the State” (a sort of “Deputy Minister”).
Speaking to a delegation of parliamentarian’s representing the minorities, he added, development funds would be distributed among the minorities legislators on equal basis, which would help them undertake development work in their respective areas. Gill said development funds for the welfare of the minorities would also be increased in the upcoming budget 2011-12.

The minister informed the delegation that the interfaith harmony ministry would arrange ulema conferences, seminars and walks to bridge the gap among the followers of different religions. Interfaith committees would also be set up at the district level, he said. Gill also informed that the UN would be approached for the establishment of a commission for the well being of minorities across the world. The minister said that the ministry was well aware of the problems being faced by the minorities and it would take concrete steps to resolve all these problems.

Interestingly, last year Akram Masih Gill made the government speechless as he posed a question in the National Assembly on Friday if alcohol was illegal, how the earning from taxes on it could be legal.

“The amount collected through excise duty on the sale of alcohol should be spent on the minorities,” he said in his budget speech. Akram Masih Gill expressed his dismay over the meagre amount of Rs150 million earmarked for the Minorities Welfare Funds in the budget and staged a walkout from the House.

Minorities Minister & Ministry

PML-Q Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada is now offered Health Ministry after last weeks appointment of Federal Minister For Minorities which he refused as it was unacceptable to the minorities who demanded a person from their own faith as Pirzada is a Muslim and lacked experience and ability to carry late Shahbaz Bhatti's torch forward.
However Mr. Pirzada's name is still posted on the Ministry of Minorities website


Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday renamed the Ministry of Minorities Affairs as Ministry of Interfaith Harmony. We wonder how name changing resolve minorities issues.

Interestingly Pirzada had termed suicide bombers as "will of God" and even demanded the abolition of Federal Shariat Court and Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) saying that there was no need for the Shariat Court in the presence of Shariat Bench in the Supreme Court. 

Pirzada said last week “The truth is that I am not mentally prepared to handle the ministry. I believe that it should be handled by a representative of the minorities. If the minorities don’t want me to hold this post, I will tender my resignation”

The appointment of Pirzada was not only questioned by Minorities but baffled many Muslims and other ministers of the cabinet at this decision. It seemed as if someone was handed down this position with the purpose of filling in an empty seat.
“Will the government appoint a member of a minority as the Minister for Religious Affairs? It will never do any such thing. Then how can it appoint someone from the majority as the minister for minority affairs? questioned former MPA Michael Javaid.

Minority MNA, Nelson Azeem  said  “Our leaders should not be bound to the minority affairs ministry only. We should be given charge of other ministries as well,”

Dr. Paul Bhatti, brother of the late Shahbaz Bhatti is an advisor for minorities affairs.

Shahbaz Bhatti was the only Christian in the federal cabinet struggled for the rights of minorities and on March 2 2011 was assassinated in front of his home in Islamabad.

As federal minister, Bhatti took serious steps to ensure the safety, rights and empower religious minorities while in office, can a Muslim minister achieve these?:
•    In 2002, he banned the sale of properties belonging to minorities while law enforcement authorities took action against them
•    Supported the revisions of the Blasphemy Law by the end of 2010
•    Supported repeal for discriminatory laws that affected minority groups
•    Launched national campaign to promote interfaith and harmony through seminars,  awareness groups, and workshop.
•    Had planned to introduce legislation that would ban hate speech and hate literature
•    Proposed to the Ministry of Education to introduce comparative religion courses as a curriculum subject
•    A five per cent quota was given for all government jobs to minorities
•    Four reserved senate seats
•    Religious holidays and festivals are recognized by the government and respected.
•    Made August 11th Minority Day in Pakistan
•    Prayer room for non-Muslims in the prison system
•    A 24-hour crisis hotline to report acts of violence against minorities
•    A campaign to protect religious artifacts and sites that belong to minorities

Who will replace Shahbaz Bhatti ?