Faisalabad: June 22, 2015. (PCP) The government must implement last year’s landmark judgement of the apex Court that had outlined a strategy on how to protect minority rights, and call the All Parties Conference (APC) to analyze the vulnerability of minority groups, and formulation and approval of policies and minority commissions both at federal and provincial level for the promotion and protection of minority rights. This was stressed by the human rights defenders during a press conference followed by the protest demonstration held on 18 June 2015 at Faisalabad to mark the one year after a Supreme Court judgment protecting minority rights. The press conference entitled “Measures to Protect Minority Rights” was hosted by the Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) and Rights of Expression, Assembly, Association and Thought (REAT Network), while the protest demonstration entitled “Ensure Protection of Minority Rights” was staged by the Peace and Human Development (PHD Foundation), Peace for Nation International (PNI), Adara Samaji Behbood (ASB) and Lyallpur Development Organization (LDO). Supreme Court Judgment to protect minority rights (dated 19 June 2014) “The former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Tassadduq Hussain Jillani, delivered on 19th June 2014, issued a judgment directing the government to take measures for protection of minority rights which include; establishing national council to safeguard and protect minority rights; constituting task force to develop strategy of religious tolerance; setting up special police force to protect minority settlements and worship places from mob attacks; registering cases against desecrators of worship places; developing unbiased curriculum promoting religious tolerance; curbing hate speech; and enforcing 5% minority job quota. The judgment also bounds a bench of Supreme Court to continuously pursue the implementation of the judgment and entertain complaints/petitions relatable to violation of minority rights.” Speaking on the occasion, the director of the Peace and Human Development (PHD Foundation), Suneel Malik said, “This landmark judgement is amongst the rare actions by a state institution due to fear of violent reaction from extremist groups, which attempts to address and undo the wrongs previously done to minority communities living in Pakistan. The judgement also instructs the government to put in place immediate measures for registering criminal cases, whenever constitutional rights of minorities are violated or their worship places are desecrated. The judgement provides motivation for a political, legal and administrative impetus to deal with the enormous challenges of our times.” “The government has notified to reconstitute the National Commission for Minorities to merely promote interfaith harmony and promote the soft image of Pakistan. But the commission will not be able to contribute towards improving the state of minority rights and addressing the grievances of minority communities unless it is protected through a legislation rather than a notification, and approved by the parliament,” he added. The director of the AWAM, Nazia Sardar said, “The government of Pakistan must show its sincerity about establishing an independent and autonomous commission/council for minorities in line with the verdict of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to resolve the minorities’ issue for good which can only be done, through a consultative process with key stakeholders about its mandate and working, appointment of its chairperson from the civil society, and selection of its members on merit.” A human rights defender, Naseem Anthony said, “The national and provincial governments have a responsibility to create statutory bodies to duly monitor the status of ethnic and religious minorities in Pakistan along with cases of violence and discrimination against them, and statutory body must have the mandate to frame policy recommendations for devising mechanism to resolve unaddressed issues of minorities, and review laws, executive instructions and procedural practices of the government and state bodies reported to be discriminatory to the minorities; and conduct studies and analysis on various minority issues.” The chairman of the PNI, Hashmat Barkat said, “The government must enact the family laws for non-Muslims (Sikh, Hindu, Kalash), and reform personal laws for Christians. The authorities must ensure the enforcement of the relevant policy directives regarding reservation of quota for minorities in all services for their economic uplift.” The president of the ASB, Irshad Parkash said, “There is no increase in the number of seats for minorities in national and provincial assemblies despite significant increase in minorities’ population and total number of seats in legislative houses, which is a matter of grave concern for minorities.” A political activist of the Awami Workers Party, Arif Ayaz said, “One Supreme Court ruling is not sufficient to remedy and redress persecution faced by religious minorities in Pakistan, therefore, government must implement it for the practical realization of the right to freedom of thought, belief and religion.” The coordinator of the SAP, Iftikhar Ahmad said, “The government seems indifferent in addressing the issues of minorities, therefore neither special police force with professional training to take pro-active stance to protect minority settlements and worship places from mob attacks, nor task force to develop a strategy of religious tolerance, has been constituted, which is non-compliance of the Supreme Court judgement on part of the government.” The coordinator of the NCJP, Shahid Anwar said, “The government must develop appropriate and religiously unbiased educational curricula at school and college levels to promote a culture of religious and social tolerance, and discourage hate material ridiculing religious beliefs.”