Vankwani seeks dual voting rights for minorities

MNA says word ‘minorities’ needs to be replaced by ‘non-Muslims’ in official use

A representative of Hindu community has demanded dual voting rights – one for general elections and one for sending their own representatives to the parliament through ballot.

“Minorities are facing a lot of problems and to address their grievances, it is necessary to provide them dual voting rights so that they may send their genuine representatives to parliament directly through election,” Patron-in-Chief of Pakistan Hindu Council MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said.

He was addressing a ceremony held at the Aiwan-i-Sadar to mark National Minorities Day.



Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, exactly 70 years ago, during his address to Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, had defined the state policy in clear words: “You may belong to any religion or caste or creed — that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”

Vankwani expressed that Quaid-i-Azam had very positive approach about the active role of minorities in the newly-formed Pakistan.

“The inclusion of non-Muslims including  Jogandhara Nath Mandal and Sir Zafarullah Khan showed commitment of Quaid-i-Azam for providing equal rights and opportunities to all the communities living in Pakistan,” he further said.

Vankwani was of the view that the word “minorities” itself represents the narrow-mindset and following the constitution of Pakistan, it is better to use “Non-Muslims” officially. “There is another misconception among masses about our national flag,” he said, while urging that this is very unfair to divide the national flag on the basis of discrimination. He emphasised that green colour in Pakistani flag reflects prosperity, ambition and harmony while white colour relates to peace for all citizens.



Minorities Day observed

President Mamnoon Hussain late on Friday assured a gathering of religious leaders from various faiths that the incumbent government would purge the education curriculum of hate material, if there is any, to promote interfaith harmony in the society.

Addressing a dinner reception hosted by Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony for representatives of different faiths in connection with the National Minorities Day annually observed on August 11, he said the government was currently revisiting the curriculum, so the issue could be addressed, if it is accurately pointed out. He was of the view that he had never been in the know of any such material. There could be any such unwanted material in the curriculum of any particular educational institution; however it should be pointed out to rid of it.

The ceremony was also attended by Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, Minister for SAFRON Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch, State Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Aminul Hasnaat, Parliamentary Secretary Khalil George, parliamentarians and diplomats.



President Mamnoon said that all possible measures would be taken to promote religious harmony in the country and it was the responsibility of the entire nation to work for the stability and supremacy of our country by keeping all the differences aside.

The president said that the basis of religious tolerance in Pakistan was not only based on the provisions provided in the constitution and laws but our cultural traditions and religious teachings also provide its foundation.

Mamnoon emphasised: “the values of brotherhood and equal treatment to all citizens of the country were embedded in our minds.”

He underscored that this feeling was part of Pakistanis temperament, education and training and added that this passion will lead Pakistan towards its real destination and development.

The president noted some untoward incidents affecting the religious harmony were perpetrated by a handful of elements which were neither supported by the people of Pakistan nor the law of this land and beliefs.

He also said that sometimes materialistic interests were behind incidents against minorities adding that the government would leave no stone unturned to crush these elements. The president stated that minorities had always played a proactive role for the development and progress of the motherland and their sacrifices in the defence of the country were less than none.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2017.