Bishop Samson Shukardin, President of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Bishop of Hyderabad, has called for electoral reforms, greater political representation and equal constitutional rights for religious minorities during a National Minorities Day conference in Hyderabad, southern Pakistan.
About 800 people attended the August 11 gathering at the Sindh Museum, jointly organized by the Civil Society Support Program (CSSP) and the Health, Education, and Poverty Alleviation (HOPE) Social Alliance.
Pakistan, an Islamic republic in South Asia, observes National Minorities Day each year on August 11 to highlight the contributions of religious minorities and promote tolerance, inclusion, interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.
The day also recalls the historic August 11, 1947, address by Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to the Constituent Assembly, in which he envisioned a country where citizens would enjoy equal rights regardless of their religion.
Bishop Shukardin stressed that tolerance, respect for diversity and peaceful coexistence are essential for building a stable and harmonious society.
“All citizens, regardless of their religion or community, deserve equal rights, dignity, respect and opportunities,” he said, calling for collective efforts to strengthen interfaith harmony and create an inclusive society where everyone can contribute to national development.
The bishop also called for changes to the country’s electoral system and urged the government to increase the 5 percent quota for religious minorities in government employment.
He further highlighted the contribution of Christian educational and health-care institutions to Pakistan since its independence in 1947. He said these institutions have played an important role in the country’s development and remain committed to continuing their service.
The conference featured a presentation on Jinnah’s August 11 address and its continuing relevance to the protection of the rights of non-Muslim citizens.
Youth groups presented cultural performances, tableaus and songs promoting interfaith unity. A cake-cutting ceremony was also held to commemorate National Minorities Day.
Speakers at the gathering recognized the historical and continuing contributions of religious minorities to Pakistan’s national development, defense and public service. They emphasized that sustainable social progress requires peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and cooperation among people of different faiths.
Among those attending were Bishop Kaleem John of the Church of Pakistan; Tariq Razzak Dharejo, Deputy Inspector General of Police in Hyderabad; Senator Krishna Kumari; Advocate Ramesh Gupta; DSP Paras Bakhrani; DSP Vinod Kumar; Additional Deputy Commissioner Mahwish; Noor Muhammad Bajeer, Chief Executive Officer of CSSP; and Javed Emanuel, representative of HOPE Social Alliance
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