Faisalabad: June 20, 2019. (PCP) Professor Anjum James Paul Chairman Pakistan Minorities Teachers Association PMTA have written an Open letter to Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa to take Suo-Motto Action against Federal and Provincial governments of Pakistan for not implementing directions of The Supreme Court of Pakistan in light of the Verdict of June 19, 2014, regarding Protection of Minorities with Letter and Spirit.

Herewith are contents of letter:   

Ref.No.PMTA/22/19-KPR                                                                                          Dated: June 19, 2019

To                                                                                                                  

Mr. Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa

Chief Justice

Supreme Court of Pakistan

Islamabad

Subject:               REQUEST TO TAKE SUO MOTTO AGAINST THE FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS OF PAKISTAN FOR NOT IMPLEMENTING THE DIRECTIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN IN THE LIGHT OF THE VERDICT OF JUNE 19, 2014 REGARDING PROTECTION OF MINORITIES WITH LETTER AND SPIRIT

Your Excellency,

Greetings and peace from Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA).

PMTA would like to draw your kind attention on the subject cited above.

There was the landmark judgement of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on June 19, 2014 regarding the protection of minorities. It is unfortunate that there is contempt of court as the federal and provincial governments have failed to implement the directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan even after five years.

The directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan for implementation of the Judgement are presented below with brief evaluation of five years performance.

(i)            The federal government should constitute a task force tasked with developing a strategy of religious tolerance.

Comment: No implementation.

Unfortunately, religious intolerance has much increased because the federal government has been failed to constitute a task force tasked with developing a strategy of religious tolerance.

(ii)           Appropriate curricula be developed at school and college levels to promote a culture of religious and social tolerance.

Comment: No implementation.

An appropriate curriculum has not been developed at school and college levels to promote a culture of religious and social tolerance. There are contents in the present curriculum that are discriminatory and they provoke hatred, violence, extremism and terrorism against the non-Islamic religions and non-Muslims. Besides this, non-Muslim students are deprived of their right to Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB). The state run institutions persuade non-Muslim students to Islam. They are forced to study the Islamic beliefs in the textbooks of social sciences, basic sciences and languages violating article 22 (1) of the constitution.  Non-Muslim students are forced to lead their lives according to the Islamic way of life under article 31 of the Constitution. The constitution of Pakistan has only protected the right to freedom of religion and belief to Muslim students under article 31 (2). There is the subject of Islamic Studies and teachers while non-Muslim students are deprived of their fundamental right to study their own religion.

(iii)          The federal government should take appropriate steps to ensure that hate speeches in social media are discouraged and the delinquents are brought to justice under the law;

Comment: No implementation.

The federal government has not taken even a single step to discourage hate speech against non-Muslims and non-Islamic religions. The electronic media, print media, social media and public textbooks propagate against non-Muslims and non-Islamic religions violating even the agenda of National Action Plan. There is deliberate and criminal negligence of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority because various TV channels disgrace non-Muslims and non-Islamic religions. National Curriculum Council and Textbook Boards are also directly involved against non-Muslims and non-Islamic religions. 

(iv)          A National Council for minorities’ rights be constituted. The functions of the said Council should inter alia be to monitor the practical realisation of the rights and safeguards provided to the minorities under the Constitution and law. The council should also be mandated to frame policy recommendations for safeguarding and protecting minorities’ rights by the Provincial and Federal Government;

Comment: No implementation.

National Council for minorities’ rights could address the grievances of religious minorities as their religious identity is diminishing due to religious based discrimination and persecution. They are facing racial genocide. There is denial of their various civil and political rights and as a result they do not have equal citizenship, equal rights and equal opportunities in their motherland Pakistan. There are attacks on their beliefs, lives, daughters, women, properties, places of worship and Sacred Books on difference of religion. Pedophiles abduct, forcibly convert to Islam and marry their minor daughters and state run institutions adopt a criminal negligence and support the accused instead of victims.

(v)           A Special Police Force be established with professional training to protect the places of worship of minorities.

Comment: No implementation.

Special Police Force could protect the places of worship of minorities but unfortunately government has not established it yet even after five years. Miscreants are attacking and desecrating the worship places particularly Churches and Hindu Temples. There is minor punishment under Pakistan Penal Code so the culprits become heroes after desecrating Churches and Temples.

(vi)          In view of the statement made by learned Attorney General for Pakistan and learned Additional Advocate Generals of Punjab, KPK and Balochistan regarding reservation of quota for minorities in the federal and provincial services, it is directed that the Federal Government and all Provincial Governments shall ensure the enforcement of the relevant policy directives regarding the reservation of quota for minorities in all services.

Comment: Not proper implementation.

The federal and provincial governments are not fully implementing the reserved quota for minorities in the federal and provincial services. The state run institutions violate article 27 of the constitution and disgrace non-Muslims mentioning clearly in the job advertisements that the jobs of sanitary workers/sweepers/gutter man reserved for non-Muslims/ Christians/Hindus.

(vii)         In all cases of violation of any of the rights guaranteed under the law or desecration of the places of worship of minorities, the concerned law-enforcing agencies should promptly take action, including the registration of criminal cases against the delinquents.

Comment: Not proper implementation.

The law enforcing agencies play a very criminal role and avoid taking prompt action against the miscreants who desecrate places of worship of non-Muslims. The Churches and the Temples are burnt to ashes after looting but no action is taken.

(viii)        The office shall open a separate file to be placed before a three Members Bench to ensure that this judgement is given effect to in letter and spirit and the said Bench may also entertain complaints/ petitions relatable to violation of Fundamental Rights of minorities in the country.

Comment: No implementation.

Three Members Bench has not been constituted yet. Due to this, there has not been implementation on the Judgement of June 19, 2014 regarding Protection of Minorities with letter and spirit. 

PROF. ANJUM JAMES PAUL

CHAIRMAN