Dawn: LARKANA: The Aug 11, 1947 speech of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, in which he spelled out rights of minorities and called for an end to faith-based discrimination, is being incorporated in the curriculum on the directives of Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
This was stated by senior Sindh Minister for Education and Literacy Nisar Ahmed Khuhro while speaking at a seminar on “Religious freedom and rights of minorities” held at a local hotel on Thursday. The event was organised by the Civil Society Support Programme (CSSP) in collaboration with Right of Expression, Assembly, Association and Thought (REAT) Network.
He said that the Quaid-i-Azam in his speech focused on religious freedom and protection of minorities’ rights and clearly outlined the rights and privileges every member of society should have as regards to religion.
Mr Khuhro said that the move to include the speech in curriculum would help encourage people, particularly the young generation, to face and fight intolerance in society, besides spreading awareness of religious freedom. Mr Khuhro said that the PPP had been advocating minorities constitutional rights in the past and because it believed that minorities were playing an effective role in the country’s development. They were also contributing towards strengthening of democratic institutions, he added.