PM vows equal treatment for minorities in ‘Naya Pakistan’
His (quaid) struggle for a separate nation for Muslims only started when he realised that Muslims would not be treated as equal citizens by the Hindu majority. Naya Pak is Quaid’s Pak & we will ensure that our minorities are treated as equal citizens, unlike what is happening in India
@ImranKhanPTI
islamabad — Describing ‘Naya Pakistan’ as ‘Quaid’s Pakistan,’ Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said the government would ensure that the minorities were treated as equal citizens, “unlike what was happening in India”.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, on the occasion of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s birth anniversary, assured minority communities that they would be treated as equal citizens in Naya Pakistan “unlike what is happening in India”.
The prime minister on Tuesday tweeted that Jinnah had envisaged Pakistan as a “democratic, just and compassionate” nation.
“Most importantly, he wanted our minorities to be equal citizens. It should be remembered that his early political career was as an ambassador for Hindu-Muslim unity,” the premier said, adding that Jinnah’s struggle for a separate nation for Muslims only began when he realised that Muslims would not be treated as equal citizens by the Hindu majority.
It is the second time in a week that the prime minister has highlighted the treatment of minorities in India. On Saturday, the premier had asserted that Pakistan would ensure equal rights to all minorities and show Indian premier Narendra Modi’s government “how we treat the minorities in Pakistan in stark comparison to the minorities’ status in India”. He had said that in India voices were being raised about the discriminatory treatment of minorities.
Meanwhile, extending his heartiest greetings to the Christian community in Pakistan and the world over on the joyous occasion of Christmas, PM Khan reiterated that the PTI government was a strong proponent of inter-faith harmony. “Let me also reiterate on this occasion that the present government is firmly committed to protect and safeguard the rights and privileges of all the minorities living in the country,” he said in his message on the occasion of Christmas.
The PM described the Christian community as an integral part of Pakistani society saying: “We are proud of their contribution towards socio-economic development of the country.”
“Indeed, the diversity of our country is one of our strengths,” he added. Khan said, “Our constitution enshrines the vision of our Quaid who unequivocally declared a policy of equality, freedom and security for all communities living in Pakistan.”
“The celebrations of Christmas today should serve to unite us, as Pakistanis, towards implementing our vision of ‘Naya Pakistan’ and to take the country towards its destination of peace, prosperity and socioeconomic development,” he added.
The prime minister said Jesus Christ was sent to this world as a symbol of peace, love and compassion for the humanity. —