KARACHI:
Pakistan is a nation riddled with inconsistencies. While on paper we unequivocally focus on equality and tolerance, the ground reality remains rather stark. The fact is that minorities in the country are under grave threat because they are systematically targeted by either dominant groups or militants.
A few such incidents include one in Baloki near Lahore, where Christians were forced by the local Muslim community to remove crosses in a newly-built church; in Islamabad, where attempts were made to stop the building of a Hindu temple; the destruction of Hindu temples in Sindh’s Ghotki district and in K-P, and the recently heartbreaking incident in Machh where 11 innocent coal miners were brutally killed. If this was not enough, our society makes it harder for them to live in peace. Many minority groups such as Christians and Hindu are not considered truly as part of our society. They are refused jobs as well as living accommodations. Minority rights are based on the recognition that minorities are an active and equal part of society. They aim to protect members of minorities group from discrimination, prosecution, hostility or violence, as a consequence of their status.
It should be highlighted that minority rights do not constitute privileges, instead they act to ensure equal respect for members of different communities who are shunned away from the rest. These rights serve to accommodate vulnerable groups and to bring all members of society at the same level in terms of respect and opportunities.
Saddam Anwar Solangi
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2021.
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