Islamabad, June 25: A Pakistani minorities' body has sought legislative reforms to strike off the blasphemy laws that "discriminate against minorities" in the country.
Demanding a ban on the radical clerics and students of Jamia Hafsa madrassa involved here in a stand-off with the government over the enforcement of Sharia laws, the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) said it would challenge laws discriminating against minorities, particularly the blasphemy laws and the Hudood Ordinance and seek legislative reforms through the parliament.
"Minorities and our daughters are worried as terrorist elements are frightening them," APMA Chairman Shahbaz Bhatti said, adding minorities in Pakistan were considered untouchables.
He said extremist elements had challenged the governments writ and the government seemed to be helpless.
Addressing a minorities convention, Bhatti said the country was in the grip of religious extremism and Talibanisation was being thrust upon the nation.
He urged the government to celebrate minority festivals at the national level.
Over 1,500 Christian, Sikh, Hindu, Balmik, Kalash and Bihai minorities, including women and children, attended the convention.
The APMA said over 20 million voters were missing from the voter lists, out of which 25 per cent were minorities.
APMA's North West Frontier Province President Javed, Hindu delegate Om Parkash, Sikh delegate Ram Singh, lawmakers from Punjab including Chaudhry Naveed Ahmed Jeewa, Parvez Rafiq, Khalid Gill and former Sindh Assembly member Michael Javed also spoke on the occasion.
Bureau Report
Demand for termination of blasphemy laws
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Minorities in Pak demand law against forced conversions
Islamabad, Aug 12: Demanding equal opportunities "as promised" by Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, minority organisations have sought a ban on forced conversions and repealing of the stringent blasphemy laws in the Islamic country.
At a congregation held at Minar-i-Pakistan to mark the Minorities Day, all Pakistan minorities alliance unveiled a charter of demands asking the government to ensure their adequate representation in the assemblies.
Demanding freedom to practise their religion, they also sought a law to end the practice of converting people by resorting to "kidnapping and blackmailing".
The charter said sections 295-C and 295-B of the Pakistan penal code dealing with blasphemy laws should be repealed immediately.
It said the sanctity of marriages solemnised under the laws of minorities should be protected from violation and dissolutions should be prohibited in case of conversion to any other religion, media reports said here.
Minorities mainly comprising of Hindus, Christians and Sikhs held meetings in Lahore and several other places in the country yesterday to mark the day.
The charter made an appeal to the government and the chief justice to ensure rights of the minorities in accordance with the UN declaration.
It said the government should ensure free, fair and transparent elections under a caretaker set-up, and participation of minorities.
Bureau Report
Islamabad, Aug 12: Demanding equal opportunities "as promised" by Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, minority organisations have sought a ban on forced conversions and repealing of the stringent blasphemy laws in the Islamic country.
At a congregation held at Minar-i-Pakistan to mark the Minorities Day, all Pakistan minorities alliance unveiled a charter of demands asking the government to ensure their adequate representation in the assemblies.
Demanding freedom to practise their religion, they also sought a law to end the practice of converting people by resorting to "kidnapping and blackmailing".
The charter said sections 295-C and 295-B of the Pakistan penal code dealing with blasphemy laws should be repealed immediately.
It said the sanctity of marriages solemnised under the laws of minorities should be protected from violation and dissolutions should be prohibited in case of conversion to any other religion, media reports said here.
Minorities mainly comprising of Hindus, Christians and Sikhs held meetings in Lahore and several other places in the country yesterday to mark the day.
The charter made an appeal to the government and the chief justice to ensure rights of the minorities in accordance with the UN declaration.
It said the government should ensure free, fair and transparent elections under a caretaker set-up, and participation of minorities.
Bureau Report