No content against minorities in curriculum: Tahir Ashrafi

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony and the Middle East and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Monday said that the rights given to minorities by the Constitution of Pakistan and Islamic law cannot be disputed, adding that there is no content in the curriculum against minorities and their sanctities.

Speaking to visiting delegates of religious scholars of different schools of thought, Ashrafi said that the one-member minority commission did not consult the Muslim scholars and respective forums before making recommendations on uniform curriculum.

Minority students have a choice whether to read the Islamic history and Islamic teachings or not in the curriculum, said Ashrafi, adding that there is no content in the educational curriculum against the minorities and their respective sanctities.

Read more: Where is our minorities rights commission?

"No one will be allowed to usurp the rights of minorities in the country," said the PM's aide.

He said that recommendations put forward by the minority commission have also been opposed by the National Minorities Commission.

Talking about the grim Covid-19 situation in India, Ashrafi said that the sentiments of Pakistanis are in line with the Islamic teachings.

He said that all possible effort is being put in to provide protection and facilities to the minorities in the country on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Also read: Pakistan, India and the minorities

Ashrafi announced that a 40-member interfaith harmony council is being constituted, adding that some institutions and individuals are making baseless propaganda regarding minorities in the country. "Instances relating to forced conversion and misuse of blasphemy law are being restrained in the country."

The visiting delegates included Maulana Tahir Aqeel Awan, Maulana Muhammad Aslam Siddiqui, Maulana Muhammad Ashfaq Potafi, Allama Tahir-ul-Hassan, Qari Shams-ul-Haq, Qari Mubashir Rahimi, Maulana Muhammad Aslam Qadri, Allama Zubair Abid, Pastor Aminul Khokhar, Nayyar Mushtaq and others.