‘Curriculum needs fixing to stem growing religious intolerance’

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A minorities group including members from Christian, Hindu, Bahá’í, Ahmedi, Zoroastrian and Sikh among Muslim communities has come forward to analyse and propose changes in the curriculum that are acceptable for students of minority communities in Pakistan.
This was decided on Saturday by participants at the meeting of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s Working Group on Rights of Communities Vulnerable Because of their Belief.
The HRCP minorities’ workgroup – launched last year – has decided to give priority to initiatives highlighting human rights’ violations and concerns, analysis of discriminatory laws and practices, and recommending appropriate changes and scrutiny of circumstances that allow advocacy of hatred based on religious beliefs, which constitutes as incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.
The group will also look into the Hindu marriages act, forced conversations, equal rights and citizenship, and class differences within the minority communities.
The group was set up in response to the growing vulnerability of members of minority communities over the past several years as extremists and militants have increasingly resorted to violence and incitement targeting them.
HRCP chairperson Zohra Yusuf and Secretary General IA Rehman among other members, Kishanchand Parwani, Petambar Kumar, Amarnath Motumal, Akthar Hussain Baloch, Pushpa Kumari, attended the meeting.