Aawaz II hosted a provincial consultation to promote the rights of religious minorities and interfaith harmony at a local hotel in Lahore  on Friday.

The consultation was designed to create more inclusive, equal, and protected environment for religious minorities in Punjab so that all can contribute to make  society more prosperous and tolerant.

Representatives from different government departments and various civil society organizations participated in the consultation while the panelists included renowned academics, minority rights campaigners and Director, Human Rights and Minority Affairs Department. 

Inaugurating the consultation, Director, Human Rights & Minority Affairs Muhammad Yousaf stressed the need of having more interaction and awareness campaigns to promote tolerance and cohesion in society. He emphasized that as per the constitution of Pakistan all irrespective of religion are not only equal citizens of the State but also entitled to equal protection of law.

He went on to explain various schemes that his office is implementing for the promotion of social cohesion and betterment of religious minorities at every level in Punjab. Yousaf while reiterating his department’s commitment to ensure minority rights at every level in the province, invited the civil society and Aawaz II to collaborate and further strengthen it’s ties with the government for the effective implementation of all its minority specific policies and in disseminating information regarding its various schemes in the province.

Eminent researcher, writer and executive director, Center for Social Justice, Peter Jacob, while speaking on the occasion said that minority rights should not be looked in to or taken up in isolation rather it’s an important issue that demands strong political will on the part of the sitting government and all the main stream political parties. He highlighted that despite commitments, each government has back tracked from the promises to address religious discrimination, intolerance and setting up national commission on minority rights.

While sharing Aawaz II experience in the districts he highlighted issues of graveyard land and depilated conditions of the temples that are owned and possessed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board. He recommended immediate constitution of the national commission on minority rights, restoration of graveyard land from the local influentials, maintenance of temples by the ETPB in line with the direction and spirit of the Supreme Court 2014 Judgement. 

While speaking on the occasion, member Aawz II provincial forum and director center for law and justice Marry James Gill, shared that despite some positive developments like reservation of employment quota and constitution of interfaith harmony committees, minorities in general and minority girls in particular are facing harassment, intimidation and forced conversions.

Other speakers that include Ms. Nauman Suleman and Mr. Chaman Lal demanded immediate approval of the Punjab interfaith harmony policy and raising age of marriage age to 18 to address the issue of forced marriages and conversion of religious minority girls. 

Aawaz II Programme works with local communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to promote the rights of children, women, youth, and other vulnerable groups, to work towards a more inclusive, tolerant and peaceful Pakistan. Aawaz-II is a programme managed by the British Council with support from UK Aid.