Islamabad: Pakistan intends to promote interfaith harmony and offer improved protection to the minorities so that they do not fall victim to false accusations.
Talking to Gulf News, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, said that under the new policy, “Pakistan government is committed to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws and protect minorities from becoming victims of forced marriages and forced conversions” that have already been restricted due to the rapid response by law enforcement agencies.
Ashrafi, Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), also vowed that the government is fully committed to curbing victimization of minority groups in the name of blasphemy. He also strongly condemned the recent targeting of those belonging to Qadiyani community and said that “all Islamic scholars have unanimously agreed that killing of an individual is akin to killing of the entire humanity” as per the Islamic teachings.
Pakistani scholar urged the common people not to take law into their hands, as “it is the responsibility of the government and the court to punish the individual who committed any crime.” He added that “no individual, group organization in the country would be allowed to carry out extrajudicial killings and create chaos in the country.”
Christian workers saved
Last month, Pakistan’s religious scholars’ council intervened to rescue six Christian workers in Lahore who had been implicated and detained in the blasphemy case.
“Alhamdulillah (Thank God), the Ulema Council saved the lives of Christians with timely mediation” Ashrafi said. “The misuse of the law has drastically reduced due to effective coordination between different religious scholars. However, the government is committed to containing misuse of the blasphemy law and would immediately intervene in such cases,” he told Gulf News.
The country is also setting up a special coordination centre to specifically examine cases of forced religious conversions, forced as well as underage marriages and to provide timely relief to minorities. “During the last two months, we offered relief to the minorities in 101 cases out the 104 cases reviewed” by the religious scholars, he informed.
The cases included hate speech, forced conversions and blasphemy. “We saved over 100 people from the misuse of laws and false charges. This demonstrates the country’s determination to protect and stand up for minorities.” The issue related to the construction of a Hindu temple in Islamabad that earlier stirred a controversy has also been cordially resolved after approval from Pakistan’s national council of clerics, he added
Interfaith harmony councils
The government will soon set up interfaith harmony councils across the country to promote religious tolerance on the advise of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the premier’s special assistant said. The council that would include representatives of all religions and sects of Islam aims to “keep a check on misuse of blasphemy laws” that are often used to settle personal scores.
“PM Imran Khan has specifically assured equal rights to all minorities as defined in the Constitution of Pakistan” with zero-tolerance against any discrimination. Under the new initiative, the government also plans to hold training sessions for imams and introduce topics on religious harmony and tolerance in the school curriculum as interfaith dialogue is essential to eradicate the menace of sectarian violence and extremism, Ashrafi said.
Although 96 per cent of Pakistan’s population is Muslim but the country is also home to diverse religious minorities including Christian, Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists.
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