Issues of minorities discussed ahead of polls

To discuss the problems faced by religious minorities and highlight what political parties are pledging to address these problems, civil society organisations held a discussion in Azam Basti.

The Centre for Social Justice, Peace and Development Organisation and the National Commission for Justice and Peace jointly organised the event over the weekend and invited candidates running from various political parties to share their plans meant to address the grievances.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Mangla Sharma, Pakistan Muslim League’s Miftah Ismail, Grand Democratic Alliance’s Raheela Tiwana as well as independents Nomi Bashir and Liaquat Munawar participated in the discussion.

Nomana Suleman of the CSJ highlighted three main areas where political parties need to pay close attention to. “Religious minorities do not only need equal opportunities in the education sector but the very syllabus taught in schools and colleges promotes bigotry against them,” she said. “Although a five per cent quota has been reserved for minorities in the public sector, they only end up getting menial jobs, which is a point of concern for us.”

She further said that a commission should be formed to implement laws regarding minorities in order to ensure that their rights are not usurped. MQM-P’s Mangla Sharma said minority communities still have a long way to go but it was heartening to see that her party had given her a ticket to contest a general seat from a constituency where her community was not in the majority. She is contesting from PS-113.

“As far as laws about minorities are concerned, the law passed in May regarding the teaching of Holy Quran being compulsory will create a rift and all those who passed the law need to remember that there must be some people from the minority community in the constituency they won from,” she said.

Ismail of PML-N, who is running from NA-244, said his party was evolving with regards to policies about minorities and he wishes for a more inclusive future. “I would stress on the creation of five per cent quota for minorities in all grades of public sector jobs,” he said. “If we are able to form a government again, I would make sure that there is a Rs5million budget allocated for the development of community-run schools to ensure that they do not fall into a deteriorating condition.”

He added that students belonging to minority communities must be given an additional 30 marks if they hold a certain religious expertise like Hafiz among Muslims. Nomi Bashir, who is contesting from NA-244 as well, said that the biggest hurdle in the education sector was the monopoly in education with regards to fees and dues which restrict many individuals from acquiring education. She stressed that minority communities need to get united to get their rights and raise a demand for them from a common platform.