Speakers and participants of a consultation meeting organised by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) and Peoples Commission for Minorities’ Rights (PCMR) jointly, assessed the implementation status of the Supreme Court (SMC No. 1 of 2014) passed by then Chief Justice Tasadduq Hussain Jillani on 19 June 2014. The participants expressed their disappointment on the lack of implementation on the seven orders issued for protection of minorities including protection places of worship, setting up institutions (Task force for social and religious harmony and National Commission for Minorities Rights) and affirmative action (effective implementation of job quota). The meeting was joined by human rights experts from Sindh and Balochistan, including Justice (R) Majida Rizvi, Karamat Ali, William Jan Barkat, Pirbhu Lal and Peter Jacob. Justice Rizvi observed that establishing an independent statutory body – the National Commission for Minorities’ Rights, with adequate powers and autonomy was an absolutely necessary. The federal government should introduce legislation to establish a commission in accordance with UN principles, with a broad mandate to monitor & evaluate the quality of implementation of laws & policies, contribute to law & policy reform, as well as conduct inquiry & investigation into complaints of violation of minority rights. She stressed the importance of equality of rights and implementation for rule of law and justice with all sincerity and seriousness. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Peter Jacob stated the institutional protection for minorities will reduce the gross violation of human rights while it will improve relations between the citizens belonging to different religions. The administration needs to change their attitude towards the question of minorities. This is what the makes judgment by Justice Jillani, a pivot of change. It is not merely question of rights of a group but the very direction that Pakistan should progress towards. Mr. Jacob expressed concerns that the policy documents issued by the Federal and Punjab governments on education (National Education Policy Framework, and the New Deal) did not pay attention to the directives in the judgment and violated the fundamental rights concerning religious freedom, non-discrimination & equality, as enshrined in Articles 20, 22 & 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan. Published in Daily Times, February 25th 2019.