Minorities Affairs: Christians protest devolution plan
The Pakistan Masiha Millat Party staged a protest against the abolition of the ministry for minorities affairs.
LAHORE:
The Pakistan Masiha Millat Party on Monday staged a protest demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club to voice their reservations against the abolition of the ministry for minorities affairs under the 19th amendment.
Senator Raza Rabbani, the constitutional amendment implementation committee (CAIC) chairman, had on May 27 announced the devolution of ministries for health, labour and manpower, and minorities affairs on June 30.
The protesters demanded that the decision be reversed.
The protest was led by Aslam Parvaiz Sahotra, the MMP central president.
Sahotra said that if the government abolished the ministry, Christian youth would hold countrywide protests.
Saleem Gabriel, the MMP Punjab president, said that abolishing the ministry for minorities affairs and keeping the ministry for religious affairs showed the federal government’s bias against minorities.
Akram Gill, the minister of state for inter-religious harmony and non-Muslim affairs, told The Express Tribune, that all 14 Christian MNAs had expressed their reservations against the decision to the PM and the CAIC.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2011.
The Pakistan Masiha Millat Party on Monday staged a protest demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club to voice their reservations against the abolition of the ministry for minorities affairs under the 19th amendment.
Senator Raza Rabbani, the constitutional amendment implementation committee (CAIC) chairman, had on May 27 announced the devolution of ministries for health, labour and manpower, and minorities affairs on June 30.
The protesters demanded that the decision be reversed.
The protest was led by Aslam Parvaiz Sahotra, the MMP central president.
Sahotra said that if the government abolished the ministry, Christian youth would hold countrywide protests.
Saleem Gabriel, the MMP Punjab president, said that abolishing the ministry for minorities affairs and keeping the ministry for religious affairs showed the federal government’s bias against minorities.
Akram Gill, the minister of state for inter-religious harmony and non-Muslim affairs, told The Express Tribune, that all 14 Christian MNAs had expressed their reservations against the decision to the PM and the CAIC.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2011.