Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Monday that articles enshrined in Pakistan\u2019s 1973 Constitution were not merely symbolic but also guarantees of equality, freedom, and fundamental rights.<\/p>\n
Talking to the inaugural ceremony of National Outreach Programme for Minorities at the Civil Services Academy here, he particularly cited Article 36, which pertains to the protection of minority rights, as part of the state\u2019s ethical and social responsibilities.
\nSenator Azam Nazeer Tarar said: \u201cI am here today as the Minister for Human Rights to remind young officers that the country must be steered collectively, just like carriages of a train moving in the same direction. Unfortunately, our train has fallen behind, and it is now our responsibility to set it back on the right track\u201d.
\nHe stressed the need for building an inclusive society, stating, \u201cPakistan needs people who could spread love, not command from above. We are all Pakistanis, whether part of a majority or a minority, and that singular identity must prevail.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cOn the instructions of the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, I\u2019m here to reaffirm that the dream envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and embedded in our Constitution is not just an aspiration, it is a living reality. Every citizen, regardless of religion, deserves equal rights and recognition under the law\u201d, he added.
\nHighlighting social responsibility, he said: \u201cWe must also turn our attention to the underprivileged, the children playing in the dirt and the brick kiln laborers. These are the segments of Pakistan that need our compassion and focus.\u201d He also spoke about the Civil Services Academy, calling it a vital institution for nurturing future nation-builders. \u201cThis is no longer the era of colonial command-and-control. What we need now is love, empathy, and dialogue, not hatred,\u201d he emphasized.
\nReferring to the white in Pakistan\u2019s flag, he said it symbolizes minorities and that the spirit must be reflected in our behavior, not just our symbols.
\nThe senator also highlighted the formation of the National Commission for Minority Rights, established under Articles 20, 26, 27, and 36 of the Constitution, to ensure equal opportunities and protection for non-Muslim citizens. \u201cThese provisions are not dormant clauses, they are living elements of our constitutional fabric. With sincere efforts, a time will come when special quotas for minorities will no longer be necessary, as inclusivity becomes the norm,\u201d he said. He expressed gratitude to the organizers, artists, and attendees and prayed for Pakistan\u2019s progress and interfaith harmony.
\nLater, talking to the media, Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the suspension of 26 members of the Punjab Assembly falls within the Speaker\u2019s jurisdiction. He added that the speaker had the authority to refer a reference to the Chief Election Commissioner to de-seating the assembly members as he was the head of the House. He noted that all assembly members had taken an oath under the Constitution to perform their duties with honesty and integrity. \u201cIf any member violates this oath, the speaker has the authority to take action against them,\u201d Tarar said.
\nSenator Tarar acknowledged the opposition\u2019s right to protest but condemned acts of violence and vandalism. \u201cThrowing chairs, breaking microphones, and damaging assembly property is not protest, it is a violation of the law,\u201d he remarked. He expressed hope that the speaker of the Punjab Assembly would resolve the issue in a way that upholds the dignity of the House and democratic traditions.
\nOn the occasion, Patron-in-chief Pakistan Hindu Council Ramesh Kumar Vankwani Dr Ramesh Kumar said that the term \u201cnon-Muslim\u201d should be preferred over \u201cminority\u201d, as the latter reflects a narrower, exclusionary mindset. He urged that this terminology be adopted across all government institutions, including the academy.
\nDr. Ramesh Kumar also advocated for increasing the age limit for civil service exams to 35 years to give more opportunities to young aspirants, particularly from marginalized backgrounds.
\nState Minister for Political Affairs Talha Burki, Punjab Human Rights Secretary Farid Ahmad Tarar, Member National Commission for Human Rights Punjab Nadeem Ashraf CSA Director General Farhan Aziz Khawaja, Director Capacity Building Dr Shabeer Akbar and others were present.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Monday that articles enshrined in Pakistan\u2019s 1973 Constitution were not merely symbolic but also guarantees of equality, freedom, and fundamental rights. Talking to the inaugural ceremony of National Outreach Programme for Minorities at the Civil Services Academy here, he particularly cited …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":83341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83328"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83346,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83328\/revisions\/83346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}