Faisalabad: Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) observed National Minority Day at the Vision Hall, Faisalabad and organized Demonstration later. The event conducted on the topic of coming "Elections 2023 & Minorities Inclusion; the Challenges and Recommendations".

The Political workers affiliated with different Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations, HRDs, Lawyers, Teachers, Youth, Women and different stakeholders participated and shared their point of views.

In the interactive discussions, the panelists and participants shared their ideas for the active role and participation for stepping forward to promote human rights, true democratic values and role of minorities.

Naveed Walter president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that the minorities have reservations on the census 2017 in the context of statistics. He said as the National and Provisional Assemblies of Pakistan have reserved seats for the minorities, those nominated by the political parties that meant their membership is subject to the party loyalty rather than the minorities.

Naveed Walter said that the minorities could make a decision-making role in around 100 constituencies of National and Provincial Assemblies where minorities dominate the voter strength. So, without the minority voters support, it's impossible for competing candidates to win, he added.

Naveed Walter said the Muslim candidates approach to minority voters during elections only and after that they never return for any kind of support or development in their constituencies. While the minority representatives make a feel to minorities that they were not elected by their votes but by the political parties and their leaders only.

The speakers including James Lal, John Victor, Sohail Emmanuel, Saddaf Shadman, Ijaz Ghauri, Ijaz Jacob, Nida Naeem and Asma kanwal said that to observing Minority Day is to brain storm today how is to mainstream the religious minorities, and to raise and resolve their core issues, to safeguard their fundamental rights, protective measures and religious freedoms, they added. They said there is a dire need to make minorities united and have to be focused on a single platform, they added. 

A resolution was also passed for electoral reforms in favor of minorities and urged for the “elections” of minorities rather than their “selections”. The Jinnah's 11th August speech must be a part of constitution that declared the state matters different from religion. They demand also for the implementation of Supreme Court judgment 2014 by Chief Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jillani.

The participants recorded a protest demonstration by chanting the slogans through play cards and banners demanding equality, religious liberty and highlighting minorities various issues to stop such violations. 

Later, Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) in collaboration with Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) organized "Minority Day Convention" in Flatti's Hotel Lahore. Peter Jacob, Hina Jilani, Wajahat Masood, Benazir Shah, Sardar Kalyan Singh and others raised about the political parties promises with minorities in their manifestos and fulfilling's.