CJP says committed to safeguarding constitutional rights of minorities

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Umer Ata Bandial on Wednesday, expressed his solemn commitment to safeguarding the constitutional rights of the minority community of the country.

The Chief Justice expressed his pledge to a 10-member minority delegation that called upon him at the Supreme Court. The delegation comprised of Samuel Payra (Chairman Implementation Minority Rights Forum); Rt. Rev. Bishop Fredrick John (Bishop of Karachi and Balochistan); Manzoor Masih (Member National Commission for Human Rights); Bakhtawar Shah (Kalash Community); Mr. Tariq Chaman; Sarwan Kumar Bheel (Hindu Community); Sardar InderJeet Singh (Member Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Community); Kashif Namet (Advocate High Court Lahore); Ms. Sonia Riasat (Human Rights Activist, Azad Kashmir) and Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Suddle (One-Man Commission on Minorities Rights at the Supreme Court of Pakistan).

Chief Justice Bandial appreciated the contributions of the minority communities vis a vis, inter-faith harmony across Pakistan. The Chief Justice aptly greeted them in advance, on the ‘National Minority Day’ scheduled to be held on 11.08.2022 (today).

Bandial briefed the minority delegation on the fundamental rights enjoyed by the minority communities under the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973; particularly Article 20, which guarantees every citizen the right to profess, practice and propagate his religion.

The CJP said that the superior courts have always been cognizant of the rights of the minorities and have delivered judicious judgments to enforce their rights, implement, and address the festering issues faced by them. The CJP stressed that recently; the Supreme Court quickly took notice of the attack on the ‘Teri Mandir’ at Karak and directed the provincial government to recover the costs of restoring and reconstructing the temple.