- Prime Minister Abbasi says democracy has ensured religious freedom in the country
GHOTKI: The government of Pakistan ensures religious freedom to all the minorities living in the country and supports their stance for religious freedom, said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while expressing his discontent at Pakistan’s inclusion in the US’s list of countries intolerant towards their minorties.
Puzzled by the report about the religious freedom of minorities, the prime minister said he wanted to tell the US that Pakistan has always stood for the protection of religious freedom of all minorities. As an independent and sovereign country, Pakistan is a peaceful abode for all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, he went on add.
Addressing a gathering of the Hindu community in Sindh’s Ghotki, the prime minister said today’s Pakistan belonged to Hindus as much as to others.Under the Constitution of Pakistan, all are equal and have equal rights, he said, adding: “It is government’s responsibility to protect rights of all of every citizen; whether it is federal or provincial government, it is their duty to ensure freedom of all. Pakistan was created for this objective,” he underscored.
PM Abbasi said, “Islam is a religion of peace, love and brotherhood. On August 11, 1947, our founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah had made it clear that in Pakistan, everyone was free to go to their places of worship. Pakistan belongs to all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.”
He said under the democratic system, public issues were resolved; whereas, in the despotic regimes, these were suppressed as he stressed upon the continuation of the democratic system in the country.
He said: “Under the vision of Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) always talked of serving the masses. It has always done politics of decorum and never used its platform for indecency.”
He expressed his optimism that the people would take appropriate decision in the upcoming general elections and vote for the PML-N because of its pro-development policies.
He lamented that no one in the previous regimes ever tried to resolve the power and energy crises. Giving the example of Sindh, he said, “Even from this province, different prime ministers had served the country, but no one had constructed even a motorway here. It was under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif that motorways were being constructed in Sindh province,” he added.
Taking notice of the murder of two youth in Mithi, PM Abbasi said that he had instructed Sindh’s inspector general of police over the issue; the government will not tolerate such incidents and would take action, he assured.
However, it was surfaced that the incident was the result of some crime, he went on to add.
Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, State Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Dr Darshan, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiqul Farooq, Pakistan Hindu Council patron-in-chief and PML-N MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani were present at the event, among others.