Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has expressed grave concern over the volatile situation in Mandi Bahauddin where non-state actors together with some extremist groups were inciting violence against Christian community and threatening them to convert or leave.

In a press statement issued here, the PPP chairman said that his party won’t remain silent on any atrocities against the poor and marginalised communities, including the Christians of Mandi Bahauddin and asked the federal and the Punjab governments to take immediate action and catch the culprits behind victimisation and atrocities against the minority community.

Bilawal said that he had been pointing out that the government of prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has turned the National Action Plan into the “Noon-league Action Plan” and only selective points of the plan were being invoked. “Why is the federal and Punjab governments are silent on NAP’s point number nine which proclaims end to religious extremism and protection of minorities will be ensured,” he said.

Instead of implementing this point, both the governments appear to be hands in gloves with those who promoting religious extremism and targeting the minorities, he said. He demanded that the special security should be provided to Christian hamlets and neighbourhoods in Mandi Bahauddin. The government should be held responsible for any loss to the life and properties to the people, he said.

The PPP chairman expressed solidarity with the minority community of Mandi Bahauddin and assured them that his party would raise their concerns about security at every forum and would not leave them alone in the face of hardship.