Daily Times

PESHAWAR: The minority community on Wednesday demanded the federal government to immediately bring amendments in the minorities divorce and marriage acts aimed at solving the current issues being faced by the community.

All Pakistan Hindu Movement Rights (APHMR) Chairman Haroon Sarbdiyal, during a press conference at Peshawar Press Club, said that being citizens of the country minority community demands for the legislation required for to them.

“We are Pakistani and being Pakistani it is our right to get legislation for us according to the changing circumstances,” he said, adding that a draft had been prepared and laying in the Upper House (Senate) standing committee regarding the minority’s family laws amendment.

He expressed grave concern on the attitude of the committee saying that the committee was least bothered to bring changes in the current minorities laws.

Flanked by Radesh Singh Tony, representative of Sikh community, Pastor Amir William, chairman Shaloom Bible College, Silasgill, member of local body district Peshawar of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Munesha Arfa, a member of National Minority Rights Network (NMRN), Sarbdiyal rejected all the reforms committees, units and commissions formed for the minorities rights because there is no minority representatives in that committees and commissions.

He urged the government to form a minority committee consist on every minority representative which would prepare recommendation in the light of those issues which are being faced by the minorities living in different parts of Pakistan.

He demanded of the federal and KP governments to take an exemplary step and announce three holidays for Christian community on the occasion of upcoming Christmas. He also asked the government to make sure the religious freedom and protection of rights to the minority community.

“We are demanding to hand over the minority worship places which are in the custody of government departments. We will build educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities on those places” he claimed.

Radesh Singh criticized the Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf  (PTI) led  government  that the KP government had failed because the government had totally ignored the minority in the Insaf health cards scheme.

He added that Sikh community living in Peshawar faced miseries because they carried their dead bodies to Attack Shamshan ghaat (graveyard) which is very expensive and a difficult task for them.

He demanded of the government to provide a piece of land to Sikh community for their Shamshan ghaat and also hand over those public schools which were for the children of Sikh community before the partition of sub-continent.

Radesh further demanded of the government to increase the job quota from 3 to 5 percent to minorities with its full implementation.

However, Silasgill expressed grave concerns and said that the PTI local government had adopted a step mother attitude with the district members who are elected on reserved.

He added that since he is elected as a member of the local government, a single penny was not given to him for developmental works in his respective constituency while the district Nazim bestow on his discretionary funds to those member who are belongs to the ruling party.

Munesha Arfa stressed the law makers to take tangible steps in the amendment of the minorities’ laws, saying that the amendment would solve more issues being faced by the minorities’ women.