KARACHI: Activists of various non-Muslim organisations, under the consortium of Pakistan Minorities Front, on Wednesday asked for the implementation of five per cent representation of their respective communities in parliament.

Former member of the National Assembly Michael Javed, who headed the group of activists, spoke about various issues being faced by religious minorities during a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

The press conference was held to mark National Minorities Day, which is commemorated every year on Aug 11.

Presenting a list of demands, Mr Javed said that representation of non-Muslims in the National Assembly for the past 20 years was “a matter of selection; not election” and that they wanted leaders who actually represented them.

Mr Javed reminded the few journalists who had turned up to attend the press conference that the founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah had never discriminated against non-Muslims. “Jinnah made it very clear in his various speeches that non-Muslims would be the backbone of Pakistan and [he] hired [them] at important positions. The present situation is way different than how the founder of the country imagined it to be,” he believed.

He was accompanied by patron in-chief of Pakistan Sikh Council Sardar Ramesh Singh, former member of Sindh Assembly Beher Lal Balani and leader of Scheduled Caste Federation, Prakash P. Chanal. As Mr Javed spoke at length during the press conference, all others looked on.

He discussed as to how various properties owned by the non-Muslims had either been encroached upon or completely taken over by land grabbers. “I want to appeal to the minorities representatives in Sindh to help us in getting back our lands, specifically the Ratantalao Khalsa School, Hindu Gymkhana, the YMCA, along with properties of the Parsi community in various areas,” he said, adding that further details could be provided to the authorities.

He also requested the Sindh government to open schools lying closed in Hyderabad and Tharparkar.

Referring to the treatment meted out to non-Muslims in general, he spoke about the low attendance of journalists at the press conference. He said: “the National Minorities Day is a sham.

“The minorities are not celebrated as much and are looked down upon for being different. So, I for one, think this entire exercise of celebrating this day is futile.”

But he appreciated the appointment of two persons from the non-Muslim community as special assistants to the chief minister. “I hope the same enthusiasm is shown in sorting out issues faced by non-Muslim communities as well,” he added.

Bilawal’s message

Meanwhile, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari reiterated his party commitment for equal opportunities and protection to the minority communities in Pakistan on the eve of National Minorities Day being observed officially since August 11, 2009 following orders from the then President Asif Ali Zardari.

“PPP has taken the responsibility to fulfil what Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and founders of democracy Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto promised to the religious minority of the country,” he said.

In his message, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said his government was committed to the protection of all minorities and mindful of their considerable contribution to building and sustaining a prosperous Sindh.

He said the PPP remained committed to the ideals of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah who believed that in safeguarding minorities, “we are, in essence, protecting the true spirit of Pakistan. Our commitment to the rights of minorities has been an integral part of our core priorities.”

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2016