‘Minorities played vital role in creation of Pakistan’

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Khalil Tahir Sandhu has said the protection of rights of minorities of the Subcontinent, their culture and identity was an important element of the Pakistan Resolution which convinced and motivated the minority communities to strongly support the creation of Pakistan for which they struggled hard shoulder to shoulder with Muslims in the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and played a pivotal role afterwards in the progress and development of the country.

He said this while felicitating the whole nation along with minority communities on the 77th Pakistan Day on Thursday. The minister said: “The minorities have always been an integral part of our country as they have presented precious sacrifices of life and property for their motherland and are till today extending commendable services for the nation”.

The then Speaker of Punjab Assembly of the Sub-continent, being a person of minority community, cast his vote in favour of Declaration of Pakistan which paved the way to creation of Pakistan, he said. The minorities also played a decisive role in Punjab Boundary Commission and division of Punjab, throwing their lot with Pakistan as all of them were loyal to it and imbued with the highest feelings of patriotism towards it.

Khalil Tahir Sandhu said a considerable number of Hindus in East Pakistan and the few left in Sindh, Balochistan, the Frontier, and even the Punjab gave proof of their loyalty to Pakistan by opting to live on in these areas. The Sikhs from Balochistan and NWFP did not feel the need for going away, he added.

The Christians and Parsis not only accepted the new state as their homeland but in the early days of trial and trouble also helped in resettling the refugees and did much to relieve the grief, pain and distress of their heart-rending migration.

Sandhu said, in the spheres of rehabilitation, health, education and employment, they opened the doors of their homes, their schools and colleges, their hospitals and their centres of business for these unfortunate people. Giving details of contribution of minority communities in creation of Pakistan, Minister Khalil said the bold decision of the Christians in the Punjab Boundary Commission to stand up with the Muslim League was then termed their vote for Pakistan. He said the minorities proclaim again that Pakistan is their country and that they are ready to sacrifice their lives and property for it.