Instead of removing the white stripe from the flag, all of us should hold this national flag high with pride.
ISLAMABAD: Amina Jilani’s article of March 20 titled “The stripe on the flag” has dangerously drawn the conclusion that the word ‘minority’ should be stricken from the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, from the statute books, from the national mindset and there should not be a stripe on the flag. Such ideas will never appeal to the citizens and their leaders in Pakistan, mainly because of the accepted ideology and the ever-growing militant religiosity in the country, where minorities are persecuted by many, but protected by a few with a truly national mindset.
Instead of removing the white stripe from the flag, all of us should hold this national flag high with pride, to demonstrate to the world our care and respect for minorities in Pakistan. All relevant Quranic verses about minorities must also be preached in prayers and meaningfully taught in educational institutions, mosques, madrassas and through the media.
Jameel Bhutto
Ex-federal secretary (religious affairs)
Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2011.
