Minister for Law and Justice, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday said that all religions were enjoying complete religious freedom in Pakistan.
Addressing a ceremony, he welcomed all the people of the Sikh community who arrived in Pakistan. The minister said that the people of this country respected the traditions of Sikh community as there was a strong connection between the two sides. The Sikh community has vibrant role in the development of the country. He further said that promotion of interfaith harmony was need of the hour. Azam Nazeer Tarar said that teaching of “Guru Nanak” negate the materialism, adding that no religion permits for hate and violence.
Service to the humanity should be our mission, he said, adding that the Prime Minister of Pakistan has sent his greetings to the Sikh community. The law minister said that the government was taking measures to further facilitate the Sikh people who arrived here Pakistan. The participants of a symposium highlighted the contributions of the Sikh diaspora communities in promoting global peace, harmony, and prosperity as well as the role of the Government of Pakistan in preservation and maintenance of Sikh holy sites in the country.
The symposium titled “Sikhism: Contributions to global peace & prosperity and role in the Far East,” was organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) here. It gathered experts on the subject from the Far East Region, a news release said.
The speakers particularly emphasized the Sikh religious principle of “Seva” (selfless service) as a motivating factor in promotion of harmony among the Sikh diaspora communities and a culture of service to humanity.
The speakers talked about various aspects of the Sikh tradition of selfless service such as feeding the hungry through the free communal kitchens known as Langars.
They shared that Langars served free food to anyone in need irrespective of his or her background.
The participating delegates from Malaysia, and Australia shared specific instances of service from their countries in which the Sikh diaspora communities were actively involved.
The speakers also shared information about the activities either directly organized or participated in by leaders of the Sikh diaspora communities for the promotion of interfaith harmony.
They mentioned several interfaith conferences and events they had participated in or organized in their countries.
They further shared that the Sikh communities were also active in the education sector through establishment of schools and provision of scholarships.
The participants highlighted the importance of peace, tolerance, and inclusivity and the need to build a more peaceful and inclusive society through educational initiatives.
