Inclusive society: Watch out for miscreants, Hamza tells Christians

PML-N leader says Karachi carnage is an attempt to prevent the country from attaining economic gains.

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N central leader Hamza Shahbaz said on Friday the PML-N government had deep respect for Christian and other religious communities of the country. He said the financial assistance for the families affected in the arson attack was meant to send out a message that the government cared for the minority communities. However, he said, the Christian community should also watch out for elements in its ranks that could undermine peace and harmony in the society.

Shahbaz was speaking at an event arranged to distribute cheques among families affected in the 2013 arson attack at Joseph Colony, a Christian neighbourhood in Badami Bagh area. Cheques for Rs77.5 million were handed to 155 families.

Shahbaz said immediately after the attack on Joseph Colony in 2013 scholars from all Muslim schools of thought had gathered at the Badshahi Masjid and strongly condemned the attack.

He said the PML-N government in the province was nearing the completion of its five-year term at the time of the attack. He said it had ensured that all houses damaged in the attack were reconstructed and families affected in the incident were compensated for their losses.

Shahbaz said the PML-N government believed in equality of all citizens without regards to their religious affiliation. He said during the preparation of the party manifesto, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had sought input from leaders of all minority communities and specified their rights in the manifesto.

Shahbaz said whenever the country was set to achieve a milestone in national development its enemies started hatching conspiracies against it. He said the recent incident in Karachi where Ismaili Shi’ites were shot and killed was an example. “It has happened immediately after the signing of Pakistan-China Economic Corridor agreement,” he said.  He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was committed to restoring peace in the country and dismantling all terrorist organisations operating inside the country. He hoped that the economic corridor project would go on as planned and would help transform the country’s economy in accordance with the vision of the founding fathers.

Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman Siddiqueul Farooq, National Assembly Member Pervaiz Malik, Religious Affairs Secretary Sohail Aamir and Bishop of Lahore Winston Frances were also present at the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2015.