ISLAMABAD (National Times) Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif on Sunday called for sending a clear message from the National Assembly that the country’s parliament is committed to protecting the rights of minority communities in the country.
Giving a policy statement in the House, he said the National Assembly needed to adopt a unanimous stance against the misuse of religion. The minister said, “It is the responsibility of the House to come up with a unanimous stance so the message should go out that Pakistan’s National Assembly is united on this issue.”
The minister said that the message should be clear that the people are united to safeguard the rights of minorities, including Christians, Sikhs and Parsis. He said, “Our constitution does not allow violence and the killing of innocents in the name of religion. People are exploiting religious sentiments for personal disputes.”
Expressing deep concern over the rising incidents of violence against minorities in the country, he said that due to this, the country is facing embarrassment at the international level.
“We must ensure the safety of our minority brothers and sisters. They have as much right to live in this country as the majority. Pakistan belongs to all Pakistanis, regardless of whether they are Muslim, Christian, Sikh, or of any other faith. Our constitution guarantees full protection to minorities,” he added.
He said that the unfortunate incidents occurring in Swat, Faisalabad, and Sargodha. He proposed a resolution from the House to ensure the safety of minorities in the country, emphasising that such a move is essential to improve the country’s international reputation.
He recalled the formation of the Apex Committee following the Army Public School tragedy and said that PTI had representation in this committee and participated in its meetings.
Khawaja Asif said that the government is revising the Apex Committee and the issue would be brought to the Cabinet and the National Assembly. The debate also to be initiated in the National Assembly, he added.
He said that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also participated in the Apex Committee, where leadership expressed resolve to eliminate terrorism from the country.
The minister condemned the opposition’s behavior, accusing them of using abusive and violent politics. He pointed out that while the opposition claims to stand with the military, their actions suggest otherwise.
He alleged that the leadership of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) is protesting against the Pakistani Army’s sacrifices and still supports the stance of the May 9 incident. “Mere words of support for the army are not enough; actions matter,” he said.
He accused the SIC of changing their stance for political gains and not protecting the interests of Pakistan, parliament, and the constitution. “They are working for their political gains,” he added.
The minister claimed that most of the members of the SIC have requested tickets from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
