Pakistan Peoples Party Social Media Punjab has celebrated National Minority Day on Monday August 11 to honour the services and sacrifices rendered by religious minorities in the country over the years.
On this occasion Ms. Jahanara M Wattoo, a provincial leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and head PPP social media Punjab has said The previous government of Pakistan Peoples Party has declared 11th August, as “Minorities Day”. The Minorities day got an official recognition in 2009 by the efforts of former president Asif Ali Zardari.
She has paid rich tribute to former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer for his great sacrifice for minorities.
She said that the PPP is a progressive, liberal and democratic party, which believes in freedom of minorities and giving equal rights to them as per 1973 constitution. Its Chairman is the only political leader with the courage to say so openly that “I want to see Christian Prime Minister of Pakistan in my Lifetime”
Many steps have been taken by the PPP’s previous government for the protection and promotion of minorities like the reservation of 5 percent quota in Government jobs/Services, reservation of four seats for minorities in the Senate, declaration of 11th August as the Minorities Day, including observance of optional holidays and celebration of the festivals of minorities at official level, she said.
Referring to the Quaid-i-Azam’s speech delivered to the Constituent Assembly on 11th August 1947, renowned poet Nazir Qaiser said that the Quaid-i-Azam wanted Pakistan to be a liberal, modern and progressive country where all citizens irrespective of caste and religion were treated as citizens of equal status and enjoyed equal rights. He said the PPP was the only party which believed in equal rights of religious minorities.
Deputy General Secretary Mian Muhammad Ayub said the country belongs to the minorities as much as it belongs to the Muslims. He said the PPP will always stand with religious minorities and protect their rights.
Asif Khan, Junaid Qaiser, Ahsan Abbas Shah, Asif Ilyas Gill, Asif Aqeel and Zeeshan Baig Shami also spoke on the occasion.
