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Friday, August 12, 2011

Asma lauds govt for remembering non-Muslim citizens


ISLAMABAD: The President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan Asma Jahangir welcomes the move of the government in remembering its non-Mulim citizens and reminding the nation of the pledge made by the founder of the nation to treat all citizens alike regardless of religion.

In a statement, President, Asma Jahangir regretted that the vision of promoting an egalitarian society based on non-discrimination has been callously ignored. There are laws that persecute religious minorities and their social integration in society has been ruthlessly obstructed by religious bigots.
She demanded that rather than paying lip service to the cause of religious minorities, the government should end all discrimination against them in law and practice. A non-Muslim cannot hold certain public and judicial offices and their evidence is not taken at par with their Muslim citizens.
There is a critical need to reform family laws of non-Muslims as divorce under these laws is virtually impossible. The President of SCBAP said that any claims of democracy or Rule of Law sound hollow in a society where religious intolerance rules all political and legal decisions and policies. Online