report in Dawn, September 6, 2023
SWAT: The local members of Christian community here on Tuesday demanded of the authorities to provide a piece of land for their cemetery.
They also conveyed their concerns to district administration about the challenges encountered by government employees at Saidu Sharif Hospital and recruitment of female staff in education department.
They discussed these issues during a khuli kutcheri held at St. Louis Church in Mingora. The session was organised by district administration to address the concerns of the minority community. The event was attended by Additional Assistant Commissioner Munir Ahmad Khan Halimzai, Pastor Qaiser Shehbaz and officials of various government departments.
Pastor Qaiser Shehbaz conveyed the concerns of his community to the district administration. These include the challenge of securing cemetery land for the Christian community and difficulties faced by civil servants at Saidu Sharif Hospital. He also raised questions regarding the recruitment of female employees in education department.
Speaking on the occasion, Munir Ahmed Khan Halimzai said that the Constitution of Pakistan ensured the rights of minorities. He said that Pakistan granted complete religious freedom to minority communities, a privilege not often seen elsewhere in the world.
Taking notice of the issues, he issued directives to the relevant departments to promptly address specific problems raised in the open court.
While guaranteeing the allocation of funds for the cemetery’s development in the near future, he said that the Pakistani citizens viewed the minority community as an integral part of the nation.
The official extended his gratitude to the district administration for its support and commitment to safeguarding the rights of minorities. He expressed his eagerness to take further actions to ensure the wellbeing and rights of the minority community. www.dawn.com
