ISLAMABAD, AUG 10 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan was committed to ensuring the protection of religious, social, political and economic rights of its minorities.

In a message on the occasion of Minorities’ Day on August 11, 2024, he said , “Pakistan celebrates Minorities’ Day on 11 August every year to acknowledge the contributions of our minorities towards Pakistan’s socio-economic development.”

“On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to the promise made by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, on 11 August 1947, to the country’s minorities to protect their rights and religious freedoms.”

The President said, “Minorities in Pakistan enjoy all political, economic and social rights which have been guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan.”

“Our religion Islam also fully recognizes and advocates the protection of the rights of minorities. I am glad to say that Pakistan has taken a number of steps for the political, social and economic empowerment of minorities.”

He said, “In this regard, we have allocated a 5% quota for minorities in government jobs and separate seats in both houses of the parliament to encourage them to play an effective role in the political and national development of the country.”

“Additionally, steps are being taken to provide financial assistance to poor and deserving individuals, marriage grants, scholarships to students from minority communities for their education, besides the provision of funds for the repair/maintenance of their worship places.”

He said every Pakistani has the right to live according to their faith, irrespective of their religion, caste, colour or creed.

He urged all segments of society, including the religious scholars, representatives of minorities and the media to educate the people about their rights and work for promoting interfaith harmony, the spirit of love, tolerance, brotherhood and unity to make Pakistan a strong country.

He assured all minorities that Pakistan would make every effort to safeguard their rights and provide them equal opportunities to excel in life.

“I am confident that the minorities of Pakistan will continue to play their positive role towards the country’s development. I congratulate them on the special day and I wish them all the best in their future endeavours,” he concluded.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 10: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has voiced concerns over the current state of Pakistan’s political and economic situation.

During a recent address, he emphasized the need for maintaining stability in the country’s political system, warning against actions that could further harm it.

The JUI chief critiqued Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts to revive the economy, stating that despite his promises, the desired economic uplift has not been achieved.

He noted that while Shehbaz Sharif attempted to secure support from China, the efforts were hindered by the lack of political stability and peace in Pakistan.

“China pointed out the instability and unrest in our country, which affected the success of these negotiations,” said Fazlur Rehman.

He urged the Prime Minister to acknowledge that the visit to China did not yield the expected results and stressed the importance of appearing strong and united during these challenging times to protect the nation.

In addition to economic concerns, Fazlur Rehman questioned the government’s decision to import large quantities of wheat despite having sufficient reserves in the country. He criticised the move, stating that it led to the unsold wheat of Pakistani farmers, causing unnecessary strain on the local agricultural sector.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 10: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the recent Israeli attack on a school in Gaza, describing it as a grave act of aggression and brutality.

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office Media Wing, he denounced the assault on schoolchildren as an unprecedented act of violence, emphasizing that such barbarism is unparalleled in history.

The premier expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs. He also reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people, pledging to continue extending diplomatic and moral support to them at all international forums.

Highlighting the severity of the situation, Shehbaz Sharif called on the international community, including the United Nations, to take decisive and practical steps to end Israeli aggression.

He urged that the Israeli leadership and security forces be held accountable for the genocide and war crimes against Palestinians, calling for the enforcement of the International Court of Justice’s decisions against Israel.

The attack, which occurred during Fajr prayer, targeted a school in the eastern Gaza area where approximately 250 homeless Palestinians had taken refuge.

According to international media reports, Israel fired three missiles at the school, resulting in the martyrdom of over 100 Palestinians and leaving many others injured.

PM Sharif condemned Israel’s actions, stating, “Israel has crossed all boundaries of its brutal acts, and the recent attack on schoolchildren is further proof of its open aggression. The Palestinian genocide must be stopped, and those responsible must be brought to justice.”

Pakistan, he affirmed, will continue to stand in solidarity with its Palestinian brothers and sisters, supporting their cause on every front.

RAWALPINDI, AUG 10: Three Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom during shootouts with terrorists at three different locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley, the military’s media affairs wing said on Friday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), fire exchange took place between security forces and the “Khwarij” at three different locations in Tirah Valley of Khyber District.

“Resultantly, four khwarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops.”

However, during the intense fire exchange, three brave soldiers — Havildar Inam Gul, 37, resident of District Mianwali; Sepoy Muhammad Imran, 29, resident of District Tank and Sepoy Iltaf Khan, 22, resident of District Mardan, — having fought gallantly embraced Shahadat.

It added that a sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other “Kharji” found in the area as security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.

Since the Taliban came into power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a significant surge in terrorist attacks on security forces, especially in provinces bordering the neighbouring country in recent months with the militants using advanced weaponry and equipment.

With the security forces hitting hard on terrorism, the frequency of such incidents of violence went down in recent months. The Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Annual Security report stated that during the second quarter of the current year, Pakistan witnessed 380 violence-linked fatalities and 220 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, resulting from as many as 240 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations.

In the backdrop of this, the federal cabinet had approved the launching of the counter-terrorism operation — Operation Azm-e-Istehkam — following the National Action Plan’s Central Apex Committee’s recommendations to root out terrorism from the country.