Daily Times

Federal Minister for Human Rights Riaz Hussain Pirzada Tuesday said that the Constitution of Pakistan guaranteed fundamental rights to all its citizens irrespective of caste, creed and religion. “It is our constitutional obligation to protect and promote rights of minorities by discouraging and preventing all forms of religious discrimination ??, he said.

The minister held a meeting with the delegation of National Lobbying for Minority Rights led by Anthony Naveed Member Provincial Assembly of Sindh at Ministry of Human Rights, said a press release issued here. The delegates apprised the minister about the data collected through recent studies that had been conducted on the issues faced by various minority communities in the country. They presented a four-point agenda for furthering the protection of minority rights that was: provision of social security benefits to sanitary workers throughout the country; resolving the issues of regularization of their jobs; devising mechanism for providing necessary safety trainings, tools and equipment by employers; displaying a code of conduct in all public and private hospitals to prevent discriminatory treatment with patients on the basis of religion.

The minister assured the members to extend all his efforts to safeguard minority rights. He gave directions to the concerning wings of the ministry to write to the provincial authorities, particularly labor and health departments, to get reports with recommendations to address the aforesaid grievances of the minorities. The minister condemned the persecution and discrimination of Hindu community. He said that there was a dire need for changing the mindset of people by awareness and education.

He added that intolerance had caused an extreme damage to our social fabric that we could only mend with the help of enlightenment and teaching. In concluding remarks, the minister reiterated his commitment to do whatever possible to safeguard and uplift the minority rights.