Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Source: The Express Tribune
Last year, I was invited to a Christmas programme by the Lahore College of Theology. At that superb programme, the chief guest was our present prime minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif. While it was heart-warming that Mr Sharif stayed for the full three hours of the event (something I had hardly ever seen a VIP do), he also made some interesting comments. Among other things, Nawaz said that he unreservedly supported full rights and privileges for minorities in Pakistan, and in the end said: “Just as I made the first non-Muslim finance minister in Punjab, soon I will surprise you again”. I must admit, at that time, I simply termed it a politician playing to the crowd and came back home happy that, at least, he was there. That comment, however, came alive just a few days back when as prime minister, Nawaz Sharif appointed Mr Kamran Michael as the federal minister for ports and shipping — the first time in the recent history of democratic Pakistan that a minority member has been appointed to a substantial ministry.
Sir Zafrulla Khan, an Ahmadi Muslim, was the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan.
It is hoped that the Ahmadi Muslims are soon allowed to contribute in better and important ways to Pakistan.
I urge that Nawaz Sharif can restore Separation of Mosque and State by creating legislation to say that Pakistani State has no business in deciding, who is a Muslim or not.
Dreams are a sign of life. Hope is a source of motivation.
When political leaders or politicians talk about minorities of Pakistan, actually they make references to the non-Muslim religious minorities and when the leaders discuss about them, we the Ahmadi Muslims must avoid any connection in that particular to Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan (Pakistan’s first Foreign Minister from 1947 to 1954) or Prof.Dr.Muhammad Abdus Salam, the first Nobel Prize winner of Pakistan or Mr. M.M. Ahmad of the Planning Commission of Pakistan/ Federal Finance Secretary. They are not and never could be member of the religious minorities. They could be called or regarded as a minority sect of Muslims or one sect of the 72 sects of Muslims. In view of this, when Mr. Nawaz Sharif gave the surprise by appointing Mr. Kamran Michael, a Christian Federal Cabinet of Ports and Shipping. Here as Ahmadiyya Muslim, I feel that there is absolutely no need to make reference to Sir Zafrullah to recall that he was appointed as Foreign Minister. He must be remembered only as another members of the Cabinet without reference to faith or religion and that is suffice. I think I had made my point clear.