On this Minorities Day, let us Pakistanis reaffirm the promise made by our founding father, Quaid-e-Azam. He made this promise in his historic speech on August 11th, 1947:
“You are free; you are free to go to your temples; free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in the State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed—that has nothing to do with the business of the state.”
From the very inception of Pakistan, we prioritized the protection and inclusion of minorities. We symbolically stamped this commitment by incorporating the white part into our national flag. This white part represents the presence and importance of minorities in Pakistan. It also reflects our dedication to their rights and inclusion.
The spirit of love, tolerance, and brotherhood is what promotes interfaith harmony and strengthens Pakistan as a united nation.
On this August 11th, remind yourself that the teachings of Islam deeply root these values. Islam emphatically advocates for the protection of minority rights and equality among all people. It fosters a spirit of harmony and unity within our diverse society.
Statement by the President
In a statement released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB), Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari said that minorities in Pakistan enjoy all political, economic, and social rights. These rights are guaranteed by the Constitution.
In his message on National Minorities’ Day, he stated that we reaffirm our commitment to the promise made by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This promise, made on August 11, 1947, was to protect the rights and religious freedoms of the country’s minorities.
The President said the government has taken a number of steps for the political, social and economic empowerment of minorities.
He urged all segments of society to educate people about their rights. He also called for promoting interfaith harmony, love, tolerance, brotherhood, and unity to make Pakistan a strong country. Asif Ali Zardari expressed confidence that the minorities of Pakistan would continue to play a positive role in the country’s development.
