Kashmiri Muslims’ genocide has exposed India: Firdous

LAHORE: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has warned that Narendra Modi government has showed its real face by launching genocide of Kashmiri Muslims in its attempt to permanently occupy the Muslim majority state through brute military force.

She was addressing the first international Sikh Convention at Governor’s House here on Saturday, which was also addressed by federal and provincial ministers, and Sikh leaders and delegates from the USA, Canada, the UK and other European countries.

Dr Firdous expressed serious concerns that all religious minorities in India, especially Muslims, were facing the worst hatred, discrimination, lynching and marginalisation at the hands of fascist Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

She urged the world to take immediate steps to protect minorities in India and expressed hope that members of Sikh community, coming from the Western countries, would project the peace-loving image of Pakistan before the whole world, in contrast to India where all non-Hindu minorities were under threat of suppression, lynching and marginalisation.

Dr Firdous termed Kartarpur Corridor a historic project, saying it would prove to be a long-lasting bond between Pakistan and Sikh community. She lauded the preaching of Baba Guru Nanak for promoting love and friendship among the mankind. She said Islamabad had been striving to eradicate extremism, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan had emerged as a strong advocate for minorities’ rights, making protection of minorities top priority of his government.

Agencies add: Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said Sikhs and Muslims should work in unison to defeat extremism and intolerance in the world. She said the Sikh religion had many ideals in common with Islam. Baba Guru Nanak was influenced by Islam’s philosophy of Tauheed (Oneness of God), she added.

The International Sikh Convention is being held from August 31 to Sept 2 on the initiative of Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar to invite suggestions regarding preparations for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of the Sikhism founder Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji in November this year. Hundreds of Sikh pilgrims from across the world are attending the convention.

Dr Firdous said: "Let’s eliminate forces of hatred and intolerance from the world, may they be genocide of Sikhs in Golden Temple, persecution of Muslims in Kashmir, brutality in Palestine or other parts of the world.”

She urged the Sikh community to expose India’s inhuman treatment of Muslims and other minorities. Reminding Sikhs of Baba Guru Nanak’s teachings of equality, human dignity and opposition to cruelty, she urged them to become the voice of oppressed Kashmiri people.

About freedom of religion and rights to minorities in Pakistan, she said today was an important era where the world was moving towards interfaith harmony. She said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government had specially promoted interfaith harmony and all minorities in the country were living in peace.

Dr Firdous said prime minister’s decision to build Kartarpur Corridor was indicative of his enlightened vision regarding minorities’ rights and religious freedom in the country.

Being a devout follower of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) Imran Khan wished to make Pakistan (a welfare state) on the pattern of State of Madinah, she added. Earlier, the special assistant welcomed the visiting Sikh delegates to Pakistan, which was a home to shrines of Sikhs, including the birthplace of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noorul Haq Qadri, provincial ministers Yasir Humayun Sarfraz and Ijaz Alam Augustine, members of the provincial assembly, and a large number of Sikh pilgrims from across the world attended the convention, which was presided over by Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar.

Separately, Dr Firdous said the whole nation showed unprecedented solidarity with the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) by observing Kashmir Hour on Friday. In a tweet, she said the prime minister, while conveying the sentiments of the nation to the entire world, reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to stand and support the suppressed Kashmiri people to the last extent. She said the fascist Narendra Modi was writing a horrible chapter of oppression, suppression and barbarism in the Occupied Kashmir. She said India had made lives of Kashmiri people miserable.