MAP Chair Vows To Promote Pluralism, Religious Harmony In Pakistan

Chairman Minorities Alliance Pakistan (MAP) Akmal Bhatti Advocate on Wednesday vowed to focus his efforts on promoting pluralism and religious harmony in the country while follow suiting the vision of late Shahbaz Bhatti who was murdered by the extremists in 2011

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2022 ) :Chairman Minorities Alliance Pakistan (MAP) Akmal Bhatti Advocate on Wednesday vowed to focus his efforts on promoting pluralism and religious harmony in the country while follow suiting the vision of late Shahbaz Bhatti who was murdered by the extremists in 2011.

He was addressing the "Minorities' Unity and Solidarity Conference " organised on the 11th martyrdom anniversary of late Former Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti.

Bhatti said the Alliance would continue to fight extremism, violence and hatred based on sectarianism for plurality in the society to ensure peaceful progress of the country.

On the occasion, Akmal Bhatti urged the participants to observe one minute silence to honour and pray for the departed soul of Shahbaz Bhatti.

He said the Alliance demanded the government to ensure electoral reforms to give voice to the marginalised religious minorities of the country and devise legislation to ensure equal rights to the children of minorities to follow their faith in educational institutions.

"As per the soul of the Constitution of Pakistan, no child of non-Muslim faith should be discriminated in the name of religion," he urged the quarters concerned.

He concluded that the Community would never give up for its cause set by the late Shahbaz Bhatti.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Leaders former Senator Farhatullah Babar and president of PPP Islamabad district, Syed Sibtul Haider Bokhari also addressed the conference.

Both the leaders were of the view that every individual would have to play their role to carry forward the mission of late Shahbaz Bhatti for a peaceful and all inclusive society.

Executive Director Peace and Development Foundation who is also a women, minorities and religious rights activist said the martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti left the Christian community in deep shock.

"Today is Ash Wednesday the day to mourn miseries Jesus Christ and I remembered Shahbaz Bhatti in the church while remembering his efforts to promote interfaith harmony," she added.

Bashir said Bhatti was striving to bridge gaps between the divided segments of the society based on violence and extremism.

"Christian community has played key role in the creation of Pakistan and will continue its role on the nation building.

Bishop Samuel Azriya said, "We should seek God's guidance to carry forward Shahbaz's mission."He urged his peers that there was need to win the hearts of their fellow Pakistanis through the message of acceptance, peace, love, care and unity. "We need a systematic effort to achieve equality for all."Former MNA Asiya Nasir, MAP leader Shireen Aslam, MPA Wilson Wazir and others also expressed their views and demanded the quarters concerned to ensure protection, equality and peaceful existence of the minorities.