The president of the National Minorities Alliance of Pakistan (NMAP), has called on the Government of Punjab to end almost 60 years of discrimination against religious minorities and uphold the country’s constitution, which declares the equality of all citizens.
Lala Robin Daniel issued his appeal just days after entering a formal complaint to Faisalabad’s Education District Officer (EDO), on behalf of Qaisar Jahan, a Christian man hired as a water man by MC Girls High School, who last year was reassigned to janitorial work after the principal discovered his religion.
In his letter to the EDO, Mr Daniel noted that Article 27 of Pakistan’s constitution states, “No citizen otherwise qualified for appointment in the service of Pakistan shall be discriminated against in respect of any such appointment on the ground only of race, religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth”.
‘Stagnant’ Holy Land needs justice
Palestinians live in an “inhuman” situation, the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land has declared in a statement urging Israeli and Palestinian leaders to work for progress.
Describing the situation throughout the Holy Land as “stagnant and lifeless”, the commission attributed most responsibility for the current situation to Israeli settlers. “It is settlers who occupy, day by day, Palestinian land. It is the siege of Gaza for years already,” they wrote, continuing, “It is also a siege for the rest of Palestine and diverse hardships, political, economical and social.”
Recognising that Israelis need “security and tranquillity”, the commission called on their leaders to “enlarge your vision and hearts”, while appealing to the Palestinian leadership to speak out in a voice for “peace and justice for two peoples”.