Pakistan promoting tolerance: Shah Mehmood Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Tuesday said that as against the worldwide rising trends of intolerance, Pakistan with a representative Parliament and protecting the rights of minorities was promoting tolerance in the country and society.

Speaking at a dialogue on the Importance of Tolerance in Current Era, organised here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the World Tolerance Day, he said with a flourishing democracy in the country, Pakistan had a distinguished parliament with representation from all segments of society, including the minorities.

The minister said that at a time when there were rising trends of intolerance internationally, the representation of Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities in the country’s parliament besides promoting tolerance gave a message of inter-faith harmony and coexistence in Pakistan.

He said the launching of Kartarpur Corridor by the present government, which also gave the message of religious harmony and coexistence, was in line with the Islamic values and the country’s Constitution which provided the protection of minorities and their basic fundamental rights. The minister further said that in the current situation of COVID-19 pandemic where people were feeling insecure across the world, the promotion of tolerance was very important. He referred to the situation in a neighbouring country, and said she was giving mixed signals with rise in intolerance, extremist ideology taking over and the rights of minorities being ignored through new discriminatory laws. Contrary to that, the Minister said Pakistan had sent a clear message to the world that all ethnic and religious segments in the country were well protected. He expressed confidence that the dialogue will help further promote tolerance in the country and society.