A prominent government minister acknowledged in the National Assembly on Sunday that the state had failed in its duty to protect minorities in Pakistan. The lower house of parliament passed a resolution condemning recent incidents of mob lynching across the country despite unexpected opposition from members of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
“Minorities are facing daily violence… no religious minority feels safe in Pakistan. Even smaller Muslim sects are not spared,” declared Defense Minister Khawaja Asif amid protests from PTI members, who were actually objecting to the government’s announcement of a new military operation against terrorists.
Given the floor by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah to suspend the budget debate and issue a policy statement, the minister criticized the protesting PTI members for disrupting him. He emphasized the importance of addressing a sensitive issue that was causing international embarrassment for Pakistan.
“We intended to present a resolution in support of minorities, who have equal constitutional rights with Muslims in this country, demanding national consensus on this issue,” stated the minister.
Khawaja Asif highlighted the constitutional protection afforded to minorities while expressing concern over their targeted killings in Swat, Sargodha, and Faisalabad. He underscored that Islam does not sanction killing in the name of religion and lamented instances where charges of blasphemy were leveraged for personal vendettas.
“We must ensure the safety of our minority brothers and sisters, who have an equal right to live in Pakistan. Our Constitution guarantees full protection to minorities,” he emphasized.
The resolution intended to unite the National Assembly on this critical issue, but due to strong protests from PTI members, the government was unable to table it immediately. The deputy speaker suspended proceedings for lunch and prayers amid the uproar.
Later, when the session resumed, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar read out the resolution condemning the recent mob lynching incidents and urging federal and provincial governments to ensure the safety of all citizens, especially religious minorities.
The opposition PTI members vocally opposed the resolution when it was put to a voice vote by the deputy speaker. The law minister criticized their stance, urging them not to politicize every issue and challenging them to find fault with the resolution’s text.
In response, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan explained his party’s opposition, citing concerns over handling blasphemy cases and federal versus provincial jurisdiction. He stressed the need for comprehensive legislative action to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
