Religious intolerance and violence against the rights of religious minorities has become trend in our country. Recent incident of killing of three Hindus in Shikarpur in the name of honor by the Bhaya Muslim tribe is shameful and we the citizens of democratic Pakistan strongly condemn this criminal act. Religious violence has increased in our country in the last few years because an adequate attention was not being paid by the authorities despite the increased killings and discrimination of religious minorities. The government, law enforcement agencies, HRCP, and other concerned departments should have protected the rights of minorities, if they are threatened by any religious extremism.
No one would have dared to commit this brutal act had such elements been punished earlier.Sherry Rahman has condemned the brutal act and moved adjournment motion in the National Assembly. She said that “This kind of open bias on the part of a state institution towards a minorities group not only amounts to violation of constitutional rights of minorities, it also creates mistrust over the state’s role as guarantor of a citizen’s protection.”
Amendments in the constitution were made for the protection of life, property and dignity of minorities, but were never implemented effectively and government has failed to prevent discrimination against religious minorities. The government, law enforcement agencies, liberal institutions and the nation as whole should work together to reduce human rights violations in the country to make minorities feel safe and secure in the Pakistan.
IRSHAD KHATOON SOLANGI
Islamabad
