Minorities’ rights safe: Ashrafi

LAHORE : Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East affairs and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Tahir Ashrafi inaugurated 50th-anniversary celebrations of St John’s Church on Saturday.

Addressing on the occasion, he said the inauguration of St John's Church's 50th Anniversary Celebrations is a great example of interfaith harmony and religious tolerance in Pakistan. Religious tolerance and interfaith harmony does not mean changing one's beliefs and ideologies, but to accept and accommodate others along with their faiths.

Tahir Ashrafi said that people of different religious beliefs and sects live in peace and harmony in Pakistan, adding that non-imposition of one's religious beliefs and sects on others is named as religious tolerance. Islam believes in love and affection not in oppression and the rights of minorities in Pakistan are being protected at every respective level, he said, adding that the world should take action on atrocities against minorities in India instead of Pakistan.

Tahir Ashrafi was flanked by Pastor Emanuel Khokhar, Sohail Raza, Pastor Saleem, Maulana Aslam Siddiqui, Maulana Abdul Qayyum Farooqi and others.

He said Pakistan came into being through the joint struggle of people of all religions and religious sects. The purpose and basic objective of the establishment of Pakistan was to protect the rights of the minorities, he said, and added that Islam’s commandments and instructions to protect the rights of minorities are clear and enlightening.

He said that rights of minorities in Pakistan are being protected at all respective levels and the world should be concerned about the atrocities taking place with minorities in India instead of Pakistan.

He said the beliefs of the Muslims and Christians regarding Hazrat Eesa (AS) are very clear. He expressed confidence that the motives of those who incite prejudice and hatred will not be fulfilled and succeed.