Lahore: MPA Amina Hassan Sheikh visited the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) office, where she was warmly welcomed by the CSJ team and presented with a bouquet.
The meeting with MPA Amina Hassan Sheikh and the civil society delegation led by Peter Jacob discussed several critical issues facing religious minorities. They included the lack of: policy decisions approving jail remission for minority prisoners, implementation of a 5% job quota, the inclusion of Jinnah’s speech in textbooks, etc. CSJ’s representatives present at the meeting included Suneel Malik, Tayyaba Rafiq, Yasar Talib, Nasir William, and Iqra Tabassum.
MPA Amina Hassan assured the delegation that the Punjab government is committed to addressing human rights issues. She expressed her intent to consult with minority legislators on policy proposals related to minorities, and pledged her full support for reforms aimed at safeguarding minorities’ rights.
Peter Jacob, executive director of CSJ stressed the need for the government to introduce and strengthen affirmative measures to address the marginalization and inclusion of citizens, irrespective of discrimination. He expressed deep concerns over the incidents of religion-based hatred and violence in Punjab, and emphasized the need for decisive action of the Punjab government to prevent attacks against minorities.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue working together towards contributing to the goal of equality of rights and citizenship in Pakistan.
