KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Minority Wing Karachi Division organised a ceremony in connection with Minorities Day on August 11 at Memon Goth in Malir, reaffirming its commitment to equal rights, religious freedom and social inclusion of minority communities.
A large number of people belonging to different religions, ethnicities and sections of society attended the event, which was hosted by PPP Minority Wing Karachi Division President Mushtaq Matto.
PPP Minority Wing Sindh President Dr Lal Chand Akirani was the chief guest, while PPP Karachi Division General Secretary Rauf Ahmed Nagori was the guest of honour. MPA and Parliamentary Secretary for Minority Affairs Sindh Roma Mushtaq Matto, Mushtaq Matto, Afaq Mushtaq Matto, Imdad Jokhio, Salamat Noor, Javed, Hamid Bhatti, Rajesh Mashori, Arshad Younis, Rahi Razzaq, Taj Dheeraj Bharti, Rattan and others also addressed the gathering.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Lal Chand Akirani said August 11 was an important day for minorities as it provided an opportunity to highlight their rights, contribution and importance in the national fabric. He thanked President Asif Ali Zardari for giving due recognition to the day and said the PPP had always regarded all citizens as equal, irrespective of their religion, colour or ethnicity.
He said minorities in Pakistan were an integral part of the country and were playing an important role in its development. He also criticised the situation of minorities in India, saying that Pakistan believed in religious freedom, tolerance and equal citizenship for all.
Rauf Ahmed Nagori said August 11 was essentially a day to highlight the rights and role of minorities in Pakistan. He said the PPP had never treated minorities as a separate or marginalised section of society but had given them representation at every level.
“Whether it is the provincial assembly, National Assembly or Senate, minorities have been represented alongside the majority,” he said, adding that the PPP was committed to ensuring equal citizenship and political participation for all communities.
MPA and Parliamentary Secretary for Minority Affairs Sindh Roma Mushtaq Matto said August 11 carried special significance for minorities as it reflected the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah regarding equal citizenship and religious freedom.
She said the PPP had consistently stood for the rights of minorities and that the participation of people belonging to different faiths in the ceremony demonstrated the party’s commitment to interfaith harmony and equality.
Mushtaq Matto, President of the PPP Minority Wing Karachi Division and host of the event, paid tribute to the party’s founding chairman Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and former prime minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
He said the PPP had been founded on the principles of democracy, equality and social justice and had never discriminated against citizens on the basis of religion, colour or ethnicity.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments