Faisalabad: July 27, 2012. (PCP) A Prominent Pakistani Christian scholar Professor Ajnum James Paul who is also Chief of Minorities Teaches Association have appealed to Prime Minister of Pakistan Raja Parvez Ashraf to abolish term “Non-Muslim” for minorities which is being frequently used by government officials. Professor Anjum Paul said “We the Pakistani religious minorities do not want to be identified with such terms as ‘minorities’ or ‘ non-Muslim’ because we believe that such type of terms are a source of disintegration in the Pakistani nation . We are all Pakistanis without the difference of colour, creed or race. All of the Pakistanis” “We admit that Pakistan is a Muslim dominant country but it must also be kept in mind that Pakistan is also a multi-religious state where people of different faiths also exist and each of the follower desires his/her religious identity and to be called as Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Budh, Baha’i, Kalash etc as it is in the case of a Muslim. The word non-Muslim does not express true religious identity and is violation and discrimination of the fundamental human rights of the Pakistani minorities” stresses Christian professor As an argument Christian scholar submits “Kafir (Arabic: ßÇÝÑ '; plural ßÝøÇÑ ') is a term used in an Islamic doctrinal sense, usually translated as "unbeliever" or "disbeliever", or sometimes "infidel". The term refers to a person who rejects God or who hides, denies, or "covers" the truth”. Here are full contents of letter to PM of Pakistan by Professor Anjum Paul: To Mr. Raja Pervez Ashraf Prime Minister Prime Minister’s Secretariat Islamabad Dated: July 27, 2012 Subject: ABOLISHING THE TERM OF NON-MUSLIM Greeting and well wishes. Sir, on behalf of the Pakistani minorities I would like to draw your kind attention on the subject cited above. We the Pakistani religious minorities do not want to be identified with such terms as ‘minorities’ or ‘ non-Muslim’ because we believe that such type of terms are a source of disintegration in the Pakistani nation . We are all Pakistanis without the difference of colour, creed or race. All of the Pakistanis have played their equal role in the creation and construction of Pakistan and it is obvious throughout the history of the Pakistan movement but unfortunately true history is not presented before the Pakistani nation. Our forefathers took equal part in the Pakistan movement so that they would be treated equally in the new emerging state of Pakistan without any distinction. Pakistani religious minorities are deliberately segregated off and on and they feel very much insecure in their own homeland. We admit that Pakistan is a Muslim dominant country but it must also be kept in mind that Pakistan is also a multi-religious state where people of different faiths also exist and each of the follower desires his/her religious identity and to be called as Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Budh, Baha’i, Kalash etc as it is in the case of a Muslim. The word non-Muslim does not express true religious identity and is violation and discrimination of the fundamental human rights of the Pakistani minorities. Sir, we want to be identified as Pakistani but not as ‘minorities’ or ‘non-Muslim’. If it is not possible to give us the opportunity of equal citizenship as described in the Article 25 (1) of the constitution of Pakistan which describes as “All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law” then we would prefer the term ‘minorities’ but not the term of ‘non- Muslim’ due to the following reason because Al Quran defines five types of human beings; they are Mumeen, Muttaqeen, Munafeeq, Mushriq and Kafir. Muslim means the most obedient to God, so if anybody is not obedient to God then the person will be called as Kafir (infidel). There is forgiveness for Mushriq and Munafeeq after they repent and become Muslim but a kafir never becomes Muslim. So, non-Muslim is not appropriate word to be used in the religious sense. According to the web definitions “Kafir (Arabic: ßÇÝÑ '; plural ßÝøÇÑ ') is a term used in an Islamic doctrinal sense, usually translated as "unbeliever" or "disbeliever", or sometimes "infidel". The term refers to a person who rejects God or who hides, denies, or "covers" the truth”. Sir, the present government is emphasizing on the interfaith and national harmony in Pakistan. We must act upon the vision of the Father of the nation, the Quaid-i- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who in his address to the First Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947 said, “You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State………Now I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State.“ So, We, the Pakistani minorities again request you for our present identity of ‘minorities’ as described in the constitution but not the new term which was even used on July 25,2012 in the seminar organized by the Federal Ministry of National Harmony in Islamabad on the electoral system where the new term of non-Muslim was used. With best regards. Professor Anjum James Paul Samundri District Faisalabad Copy to: 1. President of Pakistan, President’s Secretariat, Islamabad 2. Dr. Paul Bhatti, Minister Incharge for National Harmony, Pak Secretariat, Islamabad 3. Mr. Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Human Rights, Islamabad.