Christians Welcome Pakistan Government’s New Initiative to Protect Religious Minorities

Lahore: We appreciate the government’s renewed commitment to the protection of Pakistan’s religious minorities, especially the protection of those falsely accused and the protection of innocent underage girls trapped in forced conversions and forced marriages. The initiative of the Government Office for Interreligious Harmony will certainly strengthen peace and harmony between people of various religions and will lead people of religious minorities not to live in fear “:

With these words, released to Agenzia Fides, Bishop Samson Shukardin OFM, Bishop of Hyderabad and new President of the National Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) welcomed and appreciated the initiative of Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, head of Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), and Special Councilor by Prime Minister Imran Khan on religious harmony. The Islamic leader has launched a new initiative for the protection of religious minorities living in Pakistan, entitled “Appeal to non-Muslims in Pakistan”, announcing the creation of a specific section within of the Government Office for Interreligious Harmony, dedicated to specifically addressing the problems and issues relating to religious minorities.

Ashrafi said: “From time to time we hear from various parts of the country incidents of forced conversions, forced marriages and people threatened in the name of religion. To combat these problems and above all to stop the abuse of the blasphemy law in Pakistan, on instructions. of our Prime Minister Imran Khan we have formed a new desk in our Office “.

Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, launching the initiative, said: “The government of Pakistan is committed to protecting religious minorities from becoming victims of forced conversions and forced marriages, as well as false accusations under blasphemy laws.” He then said: “The government will form appropriate Interfaith Harmony Councils across the country to promote religious tolerance; these councils will include representatives from all Islamic schools of thought to stop and control the misuse of blasphemy laws.”

Hafiz Ashrafi, who with his team also helped to save six Christians in Lahore in November explains: “In the past two months we have intervened and solved 101 cases, examined with the aid from Islamic scholars and religious, saving 101 non-Muslim Pakistanis from abusive laws and false accusations With the leadership of Imran Khan we want to ensure equal rights for all citizens. We plan to train imams on the themes of interreligious harmony, interreligious dialogue and tolerance ”.

Fr. James Channan OP, Director of the Peace Center in Lahore, sharing his thoughts with Fides, declares: “The commitment of the Council for Interreligious Harmony of Pakistan, in favor of the protection of religious minorities, is very positive and is a message of hope for us in the new year ”. Fr Channan urges: “We encourage all our religious leaders and Christian politicians to spread the message and the appeal launched by Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi of the Government’s Interfaith Harmony Office, in order to obtain timely help for non Muslims who suffer abuse of their dignity or rights “

–Agenzia Fides

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