Lahore: June 22, 2012. (PCP) Pakistan cannot survive without promoting the religious tolerance among all religious communities in Pakistan. The religion must be separated from the affairs of the State. These were the views expressed by the speaker during a People’s Convention on "Ending Religious Discrimination and Violence: Stake-holders Responsibilities”. The People’s Convention was held at HRCP auditorium- Lahore and organized by Peace and Tolerance Alliance (PTA), an alliance of civil society organizations and human rights defenders and is working for religious tolerance in Pakistan through advocacy and awareness raising campaigns. Mr. Samson Salamat, Director Centre for Human Rights Education presented the overall situation of religious minorities in Pakistan. He cited some recent incidents of discrimination and hatred against the members of minorities. Ms. Nasira Javed Iqbal while speaking on the occasion said that there was a need to bring some changes in constitution. She said, “the religious extremists are killing and terrorizing the people for their vested interests and the State is following the policy of appeasement of these elements”. Mr. Aftab Hussain Dost, a representative from Shia Hazara community shared the worst sufferings of his community. He blamed the State of criminal negligence and silence on the continued killings of members of Hazara community. Ms. Rabia Bajwa Advocate expressed disappointment over the failure of successive democratic governments and political parties of repealing discriminatory laws. The other speakers who spoke on the occasion include Mr. Mehboob Ahmad Khan, Amarnath Randhawa and Salman Abid. Prominent poet Baba Najmi recited some poems on the subject At the end of seminar following resolutions were unanimously approved by the members of alliance and participants. • Objective Resolution should be removed from Constitution and the speech of Mr. Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan on 11 August, 1947 should be included as preface of the constitution because this speech presents the vision of the founder of the country as a true democratic state and denies theocracy. • All types of discriminations on the basis of religion, caste or creed should be removed from the constitution, laws and policies to ensure that people are treated equally. • The elements involved in spreading religious hatred and discrimination must be treated strictly according to the laws and the ban of the propagation of hatred should be implemented in letter and spirit. • Religious biases should be eliminated from the curriculum and Human Rights should be included in the curriculum of the schools, colleges and universities to promote human dignity among the students. • A monitoring system should be developed to monitor and the material which promote biases and discrimination should be banned. • Legislation should be initiated to address the issue of forced conversion of the girls belonging to the religious minorities.