Badami Bagh tragedy: Christians cannot commit blasphemy, says minister
Urges Muslim Ulema to promote inter-faith harmony.
Referring to the Joseph Colony incident, he said that only the guilty deserve punishment and not the entire community. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
The Christian community cannot even think of committing blasphemy as it pays equal respect to Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) and the Holy Quran as Prophet Isa (a.s) and the Bible, said Minister of State for Minorities Akram Masih Gill on Sunday.
Addressing a rally staged by Christians outside the Punjab Assembly building, he said it was the need of the hour that Muslims and Christians unite against the common enemy.
Referring to the Joseph Colony incident, he said that only the guilty deserve punishment and not the entire community.
He appreciated the role of media in highlighting the incident.
The minister of state urged Muslim Ulema to work for interfaith harmony so that such incidents do not happen in future.
Citing the incidents of Gojra and Sialkot, the minister alleged that the Punjab government has failed to protect minorities.
The minister accused anti-state elements of spreading religious intolerance in the society. According to him, both internal and external forces were working to destabilise the country. However, he appeared confident that that such elements would not succeed in their aims.
He said that minorities have remained loyal to the country and that their services especially in health and and education sectors cannot be neglected.
Prime minister telephones
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Sunday telephoned Akram Masih Gill and the Advisor on National Harmony Dr Paul Bhatti and directed them to contact the affected families of Badami Bagh incident and remain in close contact with them for extending any assistance.
Prime Minister Ashraf further directed Bhatti and Gill to assure the affected people of Badami Bagh incident of all possible assistance by the federal government.
Ashraf while talking to them said that non-Muslim Pakistanis have equal rights as other citizens of the country. He said that neither religion nor moral values allow violence against believers of different faiths in any form or manifestation. He assured that the government will take all possible measures for the protection of lives and properties of the non-Muslim Pakistanis.
He said that in this regard the government will coordinate with all the provincial governments to evolve a better strategy to prevent such incidents in the future. It may be mentioned here that the prime minister took strong notice of the incident when he was informed during his visit to Ajmir Sharif, India.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2013.
The Christian community cannot even think of committing blasphemy as it pays equal respect to Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) and the Holy Quran as Prophet Isa (a.s) and the Bible, said Minister of State for Minorities Akram Masih Gill on Sunday.
Addressing a rally staged by Christians outside the Punjab Assembly building, he said it was the need of the hour that Muslims and Christians unite against the common enemy.
Referring to the Joseph Colony incident, he said that only the guilty deserve punishment and not the entire community.
He appreciated the role of media in highlighting the incident.
The minister of state urged Muslim Ulema to work for interfaith harmony so that such incidents do not happen in future.
Citing the incidents of Gojra and Sialkot, the minister alleged that the Punjab government has failed to protect minorities.
The minister accused anti-state elements of spreading religious intolerance in the society. According to him, both internal and external forces were working to destabilise the country. However, he appeared confident that that such elements would not succeed in their aims.
He said that minorities have remained loyal to the country and that their services especially in health and and education sectors cannot be neglected.
Prime minister telephones
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Sunday telephoned Akram Masih Gill and the Advisor on National Harmony Dr Paul Bhatti and directed them to contact the affected families of Badami Bagh incident and remain in close contact with them for extending any assistance.
Prime Minister Ashraf further directed Bhatti and Gill to assure the affected people of Badami Bagh incident of all possible assistance by the federal government.
Ashraf while talking to them said that non-Muslim Pakistanis have equal rights as other citizens of the country. He said that neither religion nor moral values allow violence against believers of different faiths in any form or manifestation. He assured that the government will take all possible measures for the protection of lives and properties of the non-Muslim Pakistanis.
He said that in this regard the government will coordinate with all the provincial governments to evolve a better strategy to prevent such incidents in the future. It may be mentioned here that the prime minister took strong notice of the incident when he was informed during his visit to Ajmir Sharif, India.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2013.