GUEST WRITER
The white of our flag has been stained red too many times; representatives of that tainted portion have faced discrimination and violence.
1947 witnessed the victory of a group in minority. Muslims- who had been on the receiving end of enough religious discrimination- knew better than anyone else the meanings of discrimination. The Quaid reassured our minorities: “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan...you may belong to any religion or caste or creed - that has nothing to do with the business of the State.” If such was the vision that gave birth to Pakistan, why out of 428 Hindu temples in Pakistan only 20 remain today? Why do cases against minorities continue to mark our history? Why do reports of forced conversions scream our intolerance? Why does the number of minorities continue to decline?
Not long after Independence, Liaquat Ali Khan passed the Objectives Resolution. Since then, an Islamic law has been moulded and manipulatively used. Be that its strategic use to win public support for elections or for personal gain, the consequence is always the same: our minorities are turned into victims.
This is an issue that has been glossed over far too long. Now is not the time to turn a blind eye to this; it is critical to take a stand. We must unite in an attempt to make Pakistan a safe land for all. It is crucial that our government acknowledges the importance of all groups. There is a need to allocate funds to educate children from our minorities. Moreover, the representation of these groups in mainstream media should be increased; we must actively work to elevate their status in our society. Appropriate action must be taken against those who fail to cooperate.
Let this be a reminder to restore Pakistan to what Quaid envisioned. Let this be a reminder to serve our responsibility towards the white of our flag. Let there be unity in the face of extremism.
The writer is LGS Defence Media and Journalism Society president. She spent her summer at Stanford University studying a variety of courses.