Peace and Harmony Network Pakistan hosted an Iftar dinner on Saturday in which scholars and other notables from different religions: Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and others participated in a large number.
State Minister for Interfaith Harmony Akram Masih Gill, Coordinator to President Naveed Chaudhry, Member of Punjab Assembly (MPA) Arifa Khalid, Peace and Harmony Network Chairperson Maulana Zubair Abid, Co-chairperson Bishop Dr Andrew Francis and Coordinator Javaid William also attended and addressed the gathering.
Addressing the gathering, Akram Gill said religious minorities should be protected all over the word and added that the government must safeguard its citizen without any discrimination. “We need to respect all regardless of religion, race and colour. We also need to promote tolerance and forgiveness,” he said.
He said further that the Ministry of Harmony had announced 10 religious festivals of minorities to be celebrated officially in Pakistan including Besakhi, Diwali, Holi, Eid-e-Rizwan, Chelumjusht, Nauroze, Christmas and Easter. Besides celebrating these festivals, adequate security measures would also be taken for all worship places of the minorities, he added.
He said that every religion teaches peace, brotherhood to protect rights of others and to promote tolerance. “We should have dialogue, understanding, cooperation and harmony to remove misunderstanding among different faiths,” he said. The Ministry of Harmony had launched a National Campaign to promote interfaith harmony, he said, adding that this campaign would help promote national unity and harmony in the society.
He also said the interfaith harmony committees were being established throughout the country at district level. He said the government was working on the agenda to promote interfaith harmony for peace and tolerance in the society. Being a Pakistani, all citizens are equal and share equal rights in the state, he said. He thanked the government for recognizing August 11 as the Minority Day.
Javaid William urged people from different faiths to restore compassion, respect and tolerance among one another so that the society might be called a balanced one. “We have to create an atmosphere where everyone may have religious freedom,” he said. He also said that Peace and Harmony Network was an initiative to bring peace and harmony in the society and the only purpose behind the setting up a network of different religions was to develop a social connection.
“We are badly in need of interfaith harmony as ignorance is at its peak today,” said Maulana Zubair Abid, who is also heading the Pakistan Ulema Mushaikh Council. “We should sit with all and go door to door to spread the message of peace and harmony,” he suggested.
Minorities should be protected, says Akram Gill
