Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa has extended his wishes to a Sikh officer of the Pakistan Army in a symbolic gesture of goodwill towards minorities in the armed forces and in the rest of the country.
In his message, relayed to the public through an ISPR press release, the COAS said that “The Pakistan Army remains a symbol of national integration and respects rights of religious minorities in Pakistan.”
As per details, Major Harchan Singh, the first Sikh officer of the Pakistan Army, was married in a traditional Sikh wedding ceremony at Gurdwara Puja Sahib in Hasan Abdal. The ceremony was attended by a large number of retired and serving officers of the Pakistan Army.
Director General of ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor posted about the wedding through the official twitter account of the ISPR, also congratulating Major Singh saying “Pakistan Army is a symbol of national integration and Pakistanis respect rights of our religious minorities.”
Congrats to Maj Harcharn Singh, Sikh officer of Pak Army on his wedding. COAS conveys message of felicitation to the couple. (1 of 2) pic.twitter.com/w0DAdN1dhZ
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) December 3, 2017
Pak Army is symbol of national integration and Pakistanis respect rights of our religious minorities. (2 of 2) pic.twitter.com/u5j0LsfTqX
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) December 3, 2017
The felicitations come at a time when the issue of minorities in the country is tense, especially in the aftermath of the sit-in in Islamabad and Lahore against apparent changes to the oath of finality of Prophethood, which had been included in the constitution after the Ahmedi community was labeled non-Muslims by the state.