It is hoped that the example set by our PM will be followed by all provinces
LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif finally acknowledged the greatness of Pakistan’s first Nobel laureate Dr Abdus Salam. The courageous announcement by the PM will definitely make Pakistanis realise that any Pakistani belonging to any sect or religion is honourable and his or her great contributions in any field benefiting mankind must be acknowledged.
The name of our first Nobel Prize laureate, Dr Abdus Salam, is fading away in Pakistan, only because he belonged to a minority group. His name is hardly found in the textbooks. The memory of a man who was proud to be Pakistani and wore a traditional national dress while receiving the prestigious Nobel Prize is quietly fading away not only from the textbooks but also from the minds of citizens. We don’t find any road or building in his name. The same goes to numerous other patriotic Pakistanis belonging to various religious minorities. The civil society is a silent spectator in the genocide of minorities.
A hefty responsibility falls on the shoulders of our television anchors to discuss this subject with an open mind and let the masses know that minorities in Pakistan enjoy the same rights and privileges as Muslims in the country. It is hoped that the example set by our PM will be followed by all provinces and that the people of Pakistan will start treating minorities as equal citizens.
Aamir Aqil
Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2016.
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