Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Sirajul Haq has called for the establishment of a national commission dedicated to minority affairs.
While speaking to the media after chairing a “Peace Conference” at Mansoorah on Thursday, he said that this commission’s primary purpose would be to safeguard the rights of minority religious groups, including Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, and others.
Sirajul Haq said the JI plans to hold a national convention for minorities in Islamabad this coming September. The goal of this convention, he added, is to formulate comprehensive recommendations concerning the rights of the minorities.
The event, organized by the JI’s Punjab central chapter, attended by the leaders from various minority groups. They condemned the recent incidents in Jarnawala including the burning of Holy Quran, demanding transparent inquiry into all.
Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, the JI Chief labeled the incident as a deliberate plot aimed at sowing discord and disrupting peace and order. He raised concerns about the actions of both the local police and administration during the outbreak of mob violence, stressing that their handling of the situation had been questionable at best. He further asserted that these events were orchestrated to tarnish the nation’s identity. In light of the violence, he also praised the locals who provided shelter to elderly and young members of the Christian community.
Pointing to a broader perspective, Sirajul Haq highlighted the presence of Islamophobia in the Western world, which he noted was deeply hurting the sentiments of millions of Muslims globally. However, he firmly stated that no one should be allowed to inflict harm on non-Muslim communities residing within Islamic countries, especially in light of the incidents in Europe. He urged the rulers of Muslim-majority nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take a more active role in curbing the rising hatred against Muslims in the Western world, something they have thus far failed to effectively address.
Regarding the incidents in Jaranwala, he revealed that more than 19 churches and 86 houses had been set ablaze. In response, the JI’s charitable arm, al-Khidmat Foundation, pledged to rebuild the damaged houses and contribute to the renovation of the affected churches, he said.
