By Syed Shamim Akhtar
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif made it clear that no one would be allowed to act arbitrarily in the name of religion, and that the law would be enforced to prevent injustice against minorities. Speaking on social media platform X during Christmas and addressing a ceremony in Islamabad, he extended warm greetings to Pakistan’s Christian community. He highlighted that religious minorities enjoyed full freedom in the country and underscored their active contribution to national development. In contrast, he noted, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over a regime that spread hatred under the guise of religion, leaving minorities exposed to fear and violence.
On the same day, Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, visited a church in Rawalpindi and participated in Christmas celebrations. He emphasized that protecting minority rights was central to Pakistan’s ideology and highlighted interfaith harmony and national cohesion as critical to the nation’s progress. He reaffirmed that the armed forces remained committed, under the Constitution, to safeguarding the dignity, security, and equal rights of all citizens, regardless of faith.
The contrast with India was stark. Across several states, extremist Hindu mobs attacked Christians, vandalized churches, and disrupted Christmas celebrations. In Madhya Pradesh, authorities reportedly cancelled Christmas as a public holiday, replacing it with celebrations of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday. Similar incidents were reported in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala, reflecting the reach of a hardline Hindutva agenda. Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar observed that these events vindicated Pakistan’s two-nation theory, underscoring the dangers of religious intolerance in India.
For Pakistan, minority rights were enshrined in the country’s founding principles. Just two days before the nation’s creation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah assured the Legislative Assembly that minorities would enjoy full religious freedom and equal protection under the law. By reiterating these principles during Christmas events, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir demonstrated that Pakistan actively upheld these commitments in practice.
Shehbaz Sharif’s message emphasised that no injustice against minorities would be tolerated and that arbitrary actions in the name of religion would face legal consequences. Protecting minority rights was therefore not merely a moral obligation but a constitutional duty. Pakistan’s legal framework guaranteed equal rights and freedom of religion, ensuring that places of worship, festivals, and religious practices received full protection from the state.
The symbolism of Field Marshal Munir visiting a Rawalpindi church was significant. By participating in Christmas celebrations and affirming the centrality of minority rights to Pakistan’s founding ideology, he highlighted that all pillars of the state were united in safeguarding citizens. His focus on interfaith harmony projected a positive image of Pakistan, where multiple religions and cultures coexisted with mutual respect. This message resonated domestically and internationally, signaling Pakistan’s unwavering stance on minority protection.
Meanwhile, the scenes in India during Christmas exposed the nation’s failure to protect its minorities. Attacks on churches, coupled with the cancellation of public holidays in favour of ideological observances, highlighted the precarious position of religious communities. The inaction of Indian authorities drew condemnation and revealed the state’s tolerance for extremist behaviour under the Modi administration.
Minister Tarar emphasised the stark contrast: in Pakistan, minorities lived securely and were actively protected, while in India, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits, and other communities faced violence and intimidation, often with implicit state support. Recent events reinforced that Hindutva represented an extremist and exclusionary ideology, transforming India into a state dominated by religious nationalism and validating the rationale for Pakistan’s creation.
This situation had implications beyond India’s borders. A state that violated the rights of its citizens threatened regional and global stability. The international community could no longer remain passive observers. Pakistan, by contrast, demonstrated that a state could protect minority rights, uphold interfaith harmony, and foster national unity, presenting a model for responsible governance. India’s extremist policies, exposed to the world, offered a stark reminder of the human cost of intolerance and the urgent need for global action to defend vulnerable communities.
(The writer has diverse in knowledge and has a good omen in politics, can be reached at editorial@metro-morning.com)
